


Point of No Return

by lj_todd



Series: Unbreakable [3]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mates, Mating Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-14
Updated: 2015-08-02
Packaged: 2018-04-09 06:16:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 33,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4337060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lj_todd/pseuds/lj_todd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver thought after surviving two all out attacks on his city, both by men who claimed to love him, that he would be ready to face anything. But he was wrong. Learning his mate, Malcolm Merlyn, was alive was difficult enough to deal with but learning that his mate's return brought with it a threat more dangerous than anything that had come before was almost too much.</p>
<p>Now Oliver must fight not only to protect his city and family but the mate who betrayed him. Whose actions have all but condemned him and their child to death. He must find the strength to become a killer again or fall to the blade of an enemy he's not certain he can defeat even with all his skills.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

In the five months following Slade's siege of Starling Oliver managed to train Roy and help the Lance, who'd been promoted to the rank of Captain for his outstanding actions in the fight against Slade's men, and the police get the crime rate to the lowest it had been in years. The team took down criminal after criminal. Making the streets safer even though a large number of people had moved from the city, feeling a city that had been the target of two terrorist attacks was not a place for them.

After taking down another of the city's most wanted Oliver, Roy and Diggle returned to the foundry to find Felicity practically glowing and bouncing on her feet at another mission finished smoothly and without any of them hurt. She let Oliver know about another text from Thea, who still hadn't returned to Starling, still claiming she needed to find herself and, though Oliver was worried about his sister, he trusted her to make her own choices.

Roy left shortly after that to do another patrol while Felicity left, claiming it was sad when she had to pull an early shift at work. And, Oliver supposed, for her it was. She'd gone from being one of the leading members of the IT department at Queen Consolidated to working as a minimum wage employee at Tech Village. Diggle followed Felicity's lead after Oliver gave the man his gift for the baby girl Diggle and Lyla were having. A necklace he'd made himself from a couple of arrowheads. 

Once his friends were gone he changed from his Arrow gear into a pair of sweatpants and walked over to where Robbie was practicing her strikes against one of the practice dummies Lyla had gotten them from an abandoned A.R.G.U.S. bunker.

His little girl was dressed in casual workout clothes, dark shirt and grey shorts, her hair, once long and curling down her back, she'd cut in a cute little bob that neatly framed her face, and, watching her go through the movements he'd taught her days earlier, it was somewhat difficult to believe that she was barely eight. She looked fierce. Strong. And it made him smile.

"Need a sparing partner, little bird?"

Robbie grinned up and him and nodded.

They moved through their usual workout until Robbie unexpected ducked and rolled, catching him with a strike to the back of his knee. He hobbled a bit, her blow not full force, before righting himself and grinning at her.

"Where did you learn that?"

Robbie giggled, never once dropping her defensive stance, her eyes dancing brightly.

"Aunt Lyla."

Oliver chuckled. For a while, until she'd gotten too far into her pregnancy, Lyla had kept an eye on Robbie while Oliver and the others worked to clean up the streets. It wasn't surprising that the woman had taught her a few defensive manuevers. Even Diggle had shown Robbie a few attacks that, though they wouldn't necessarily do a lot of damage, would give Robbie time to get away from an attacker. Most parents wouldn't take pride in their friends teaching their child to fight but he, like his friends, knew first hand how dangerous Starling, and the world, could be.

"Maybe after the baby's born and Lyla is feeling up to it she can teach you some more moves, hmm?"

Robbie's grin widened and she nodded.

They continued to train, Oliver showing his girl how to take on an enemy bigger then her, how to disable them so she could get away. When she questioned that, saying he didn't run so why should she, he smiled at her.

"Because until you're grown and can do what I or Roy or even Diggle can your best offence is a good defence." He cupped her cheek, still smiling. "There's no shame in running from a fight, Robbie. Sometimes we have to run because it keeps us alive to fight another day."

Robbie's nose wrinkled. "Is that...Is that why Sara left?"

It was the first time in months that Robbie had mentioned Sara. The woman had been like an aunt to Robbie. A strong female figure to look up to. And when Sara had left, returning to the League, to Nyssa, Robbie hadn't been able to understand why she'd gone. Oliver knew it was likely that Robbie felt as though Sara had abandoned them.

"No, little bird," Oliver said as he shook his head, running his fingers through her hair. "No, Sara...Sara left because she was in love with Nyssa."

Robbie's nose wrinkled again. "But she's an assassin."

"So was Sara for a while."

Robbie shook her head. "If Nyssa really loved Sara she wouldn't have made her go."

Oliver chuckled and crouched down, pulling Robbie into a hug, not surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Do you remember when Nyssa first came to the city looking for Sara?"

Robbie nodded. "Because Sara broke her vow to the League."

"That's right. But when Nyssa saw what Sara was willing to do to protect her family and friends she realized that sometimes loving someone means letting them go." Oliver couldn't help but think of an Alpha he'd been forced to watch walk out of his life. Remembering how loving her had meant letting her go. "It was that act, along with Sara's love for Nyssa, that drew Sara back to the League, back to Nyssa. Love, little bird."

"But...But she said she loved us too," Robbie growled faintly. "So why...why didn't she say goodbye?"

Oliver pressed his forehead to Robbie's, smiling slightly.

"Because goodbyes are never easy and sometimes...sometimes we know we'll see the people we love again."

"In this life or the next?"

Oliver nodded. His smile widening. "That's right."

Robbie hugged him, tightly, and he felt her smile against her neck before she drew back, settling once more into her fighting stance. He chuckled and continued training with her until he determined she needed to rest. They went through a warm down exercise so as not to strain Robbie's still growing muscles before curling up on the bed, or rather the cot, tucked up in the corner.

As Robbie settled down, curling up in a ball, she started humming her old lullaby.

Oliver smiled as he lay next to her, listening as her humming became soft singing before tapering off into humming once more before sleep overcame Robbie. He waited until he was certain she was sleeping before he climbed from the bed, moving through the darkness of the foundry until he was sitting at the bay of computers. He knew he should try and sleep but something had been bugging him for weeks and, in the last few days, it had grown increasingly more annoying.

It was like a buzz.

In the back of his mind.

At first he had thought it might be Slade, fighting to push through the mental block Oliver had thrown over their Bond, but, as it continued, he knew it wasn't that. He wasn't certain how to describe it but he knew he couldn't just ignore it. Something was happening. Something big. He just couldn't figure out what it was. He'd felt something similar, back when he'd been on Lian Yu, and even then he hadn't been able to figure out what it was.

Rubbing a hand over his face he leaned back in his chair, tilting his head back and staring up at the ceiling while trying to will that strange feeling from his mind.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Malcolm sat in the den of the lavish house he'd purchased in Corto Maltese and, without lifting his carefully constructed block over the Bond he shared with Oliver, he pressed at it, sensing, mutely, Oliver's emotions. His mate wasn't relaxed but nor was he stressed. It was how Malcolm usually found his mate. And every time he did he wanted to pack up, get on a plane with Thea and return to Starling. Return to Oliver.

But it wasn't time for that.

His mate and their child were safest if he continued to pretend to be dead. If he stayed far from them.

So to combat the urge, the instinct, to go to Oliver, he focused on training Thea.

In five short months she had come so very far.

She was a quick learner. Absorbing his lessons like a sponge.

Even if in the beginning she had been weak and frightened.

The girl who had nearly died the night of Slade Wilson's attack on Starling was slowly fading away and a fierce, powerful, confident young woman was beginning to take her place.

It made Malcolm proud to see Thea blossom as such.

It also made him wonder if Robbie would do the same.

In his quiet moments alone, such as the one he had now, he often imagined helping Oliver to train Robbie. He imagined teaching her as he taught Thea. As he himself was taught. Some of the tactics would have to be altered, he knew, because Oliver would never approve, but between him and his mate he knew their daughter would be a force to be reckoned with.

Robbie would be stronger than either of them.

She would be a radiant beckon of power.

He smiled as he imagined what she would look like at Thea's age.

He imagined her with thick blonde curls and bright, vibrant blue eyes. He imagined her dressed in black, like himself, but with hints of green, for Oliver. He imagined her leading a group just as fierce and powerful as the League. He imagined her commanding men as easily as she would breathe.

It was something, he knew, that would never come to pass unless he found a way to remove the blood debt from his head. Because if the League caught him first then all his dreams, his plans for his family, would die with him. Worse would be if the League learned of Robbie. She would be taken from him, from the world, just to cause him pain.

Drawing a deep breath he slowly stood from where he sat and crossed to the window, looking out at the twinkling lights of the city, knowing that, somewhere in the world, members of the League, people he'd known and once called friends, were hunting for him.

But he also knew that it was almost time to put his plan into motion.

And, if said plan unfolded as he believed it would, he would soon no longer have to fear for his life and the lives of his mate and children.


	2. Chapter 2

Oliver woke the moment he felt Robbie climb from the cot and, blinking the sleep from his eyes, he lifted his head and watched as his little girl darted across the room. She greeted Roy as the younger Omega came strolling in carrying what looked to be a bag from Big Belly Burgers. Quickly checking his phone Oliver found it was little after eight in the morning.

"Burgers aren't breakfast food," he grumbled as he sat up, stretching out his muscles, watching as Robbie clambered up to sit on a table.

Roy snickered and lifted a breakfast burrito from the bag, tossing it to Oliver, who easily snatched it from the air.

"Figured you might like something decent to eat before Felicity drags you off to try and win back your company."

Oliver's eyebrow ticked up but he nodded. Grateful for the food. He ate in silence, watching as Roy showed Robbie how to, as the younger Omega put it, properly dunk the burrito in some sort of sauce. Robbie giggled as she ate and, for a little while at least, his spirits were high and happy.

That happiness was squashed into the dirt quickly enough when, despite his best attempt at a meeting at Queen Consolidated, he lost his company to Ray Palmer. A genius and charming billionaire who had quite easily swayed the board members. Felicity had fumed, endlessly, and had only stopped focusing on the man who she'd once handled as a customer at her crummy day job when the hunt for Werner Zytle, the new Count Vertigo, became more important than the loss of Oliver's company.

They managed to figure out the man was targetting crime bosses in order to take over and tracked said crime bosses to the Rockets Arena where a heavyweight prize fight was taking place. Once at the arena Oliver and Roy discovered a bomb set beneath the stands ready to go in minutes. Roy, with help from Felicity, managed to deal with the bomb while Oliver went after Werner. During the fight Oliver was somewhat surprised to receive backup from Sara.

And though she wouldn't explain what had brought her back to the city Oliver was just glad to see her again.

They parted ways when Oliver received word from Felicity that Lyla, who had gone into labour earlier in the evening, had had the baby and he rushed back to the foundry to change, telling Felicity to take Robbie with her and he'd meet them at the hospital. By the time he made it to the hospital Felicity was already cooing and awing over the baby, a girl, with Lyla, and Robbie was perched on the bed next to Lyla's legs, looking at the infant with curiosity.

Oliver and Diggle stood off to one side, watching Lyla and Felicity continue to fuss over the baby, watching Robbie offer her hand to the infant, who immediately clasped at her fingers.

"Thank you, Oliver," Diggle said softly and when Oliver asked him for what the Alpha smiled. "For being right." He looked at Lyla and their daughter and his smile grew even wider. "The moment I looked at her...everything...everything changed."

Oliver couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as his gaze went from Diggle's daughter to his own. "It always does," he whispered as the memory of Robbie's birth flooded his mind.

_He lay on the makeshift cot in the plane, gasping and whining and trying not to scream but the pain was intense. Beyond anything he'd ever felt before. Even the Bond between him and Wintergreen severing. He gripped the blanket beneath him so tightly he thought the fabric would tear and he bit his lip to the point that it was torn open and bleeding._

_Slade was crouched between his legs, fingers probing, frowning the entire time._

_"Just a bit longer, kid."_

_Oliver groaned and shook his head. "Can't...please...fuck it hurts...please...Slade..."_

_Slade shook his head, slowly drawing his hand away. "You try now and you'll tear yourself up. You wait until I say, you hear me?"_

_Oliver grunted, trying to breathe evenly but the pain lit every nerve ending up like a Christmas tree. "The hell...do you even know...how...how to do this?"_

_"You forget I mentioned my son? I was there when he was born. Also was around when a colleague, a male Omega, gave birth while on an op. He didn't even know he was pregnant."_

_Oliver blinked, managing to focus through the pain. "How the...fuck...did he not know?"_

_Slade shrugged, checking Oliver again, still frowning a bit. But, Oliver decided, frowning wasn't exactly out of the norm for the Alpha. He did that a lot. "Sometimes you just don't. Things don't change and you have no idea. Shocked the hell outta him."_

_Oliver snorted but then cried out at the fresh wave of pain. "Fuck...please...please tell me...I can...do something now...please Slade..."_

_Slade shook his head and Oliver waited for what felt like hours before the Alpha finally told him he was ready. And, despite everything, he silently thanked God or whatever deity would listen, that Slade was there to guide him through it. Because he was scared. He listened and followed Slade's instructions, pushing and stopping when the Alpha said, gasping and panting and sweating and screaming with the effort of it all and then, just when he thought he couldn't take any more, there was a pressure in his lower body, the strangest sensation filling him, nearly overtaking the pain, but then the pressure ebbed and he felt something slide from his body and he all but held his breath._

_He watched, weak and bleary eyed, as Slade moved, wrapping the baby in the cleanest blanket they had and all the while he had a heart wrenching thought. The baby wasn't crying. Weren't they supposed to cry right after they were born? What if something was wrong? What if the stress of the island, the training and what Wintergreen had done to him had..._

_The baby wailed._

_And it was the most beautiful sound Oliver had heard in months._

_Slade immediately went into protective Alpha mode, gently rocking the baby until it calm, and Oliver watched, smiling weakly, as Slade looked up at him. "It's a girl," the Alpha said, still rocking the baby, Oliver's little girl. "Seems to be in good health all things considered."_

_Oliver let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding even as Slade began whispering all sorts of promises to the baby. Promises of protection and love. Even as the Alpha laid her in Oliver's arms, he kept promising to never fail her, to always be there for her when she needed him. And Oliver just kept smiling even as Slade moved to clean him up a bit. When he looked down at his daughter for the first time, her tiny face red and speckled with blood, he knew there wasn't anything he wouldn't do her. In the span of a heartbeat she was his world. The only thing that mattered. More than himself. More than getting home. Just her. Always her._

Oliver blinked and the memory faded as quickly as it had come, leaving him smiling at the sight of the family his best friend was building with the woman he loved. It gave him hope. Hope that one day he could hang up his hood, put down his bow, and just live.


	3. Chapter 3

The hope that had been slowly building in Oliver died the moment he walked into the foundry to find Laurel, covered in blood, with Sara laid out on one of the tables, three arrows in her chest.

The grief and pain of his friend's death reminded him that the life he had chosen was not likely one he would ever leave alive.

The hunt for Sara's killer helped to sooth the raging storm of grief. But even after they tracked down an assassin, an archer named Simon Lacroix, it was in vain because, though he'd been killing people in Starling, he wasn't Sara's killer. After taking the man down Oliver and the others chose to bury Sara. Saying goodbye, laying her to rest, hurt. Reminded him too much of when he and Slade had buried Shado. He held Robbie tightly the whole while, his little girl sobbing and clinging to him.

Sara's death, though hard on them all, hit Robbie the hardest.

She'd lost so many people she loved that Sara's loss seemed to be the final straw. She withdrew into herself and nothing Oliver did seemed to bring her out of her doldrums. His daughter's grief was the final push he needed to have Felicity track down Thea who, it turned out, wasn't in Italy like she'd been texting. But rather she was in Corto Maltese. He decided to bring his sister home but, like everything else in his life, it wasn't that simple because Lyla asked Diggle to check on one of her assets on the island so she wouldn't have to call in a task force and risk getting the man into hot water with Waller.

Corto Maltese, he found, was a lovely place and he wasn't surprised Thea had settled there. He was surprised that she'd been lying about it. But as Roy had pointed out she had needed space after leaving Starling. She hadn't wanted to be found. He went to the address Felicity had provided but was directed by one of the gardeners to the cafe where Thea was working. She was surprised, completely shocked if he was honest, by his presence, and though she agreed to talk to him she refused to come back to Starling.

It wasn't what he wanted to hear but he had to shift focus and help Diggle with Lyla's asset. Which, turned out, to be a traitor selling A.R.G.U.S. secrets. They managed to track him down after he gave Diggle the slip and stop him before he completed his deal and afterwards, after Roy had already spoke to her, Oliver went back to talk to the Thea. To tell her something important. Something he should have told her when he first came home.

He met her outside the cafe where she worked and she smiled at him.

"If you want to stay in Corto Maltese that's fine," she teased. "But there's not much in the way of sight seeing."

"Can I talk to you?" His tone was flat, serious and caused the smile to drop from his sister's face.

"Look, between you and your new best friend, Roy, I'm pretty sure you guys have said everything."

"I haven't," he admitted and, though his emotions were all over the place concerning what he had to say, he drew a deep breath to try and calm himself. He didn't know how Thea would take what he was about to tell her but she had to know. She deserved to know. "Not yet, anyway."

They sat at one of the little tables and Oliver sighed softly. "Roy showed me the note you left him," he said simply. "And you were right about everything. I have lied. I have kept secrets. The truth is...if I tell you all the things that you don't know about me that...that I might lose you forever." He looked away from her, from the concern he could see building in her eyes. "I spent five years in the worst kind of hell where the only thing I am thankful for is that my daughter...she was too young to really remember any of it because there were things that happened...there were things that I did...that if you knew...you would see me differently."

"No," Thea was quick to reassure him. "I'll always see you as my big brother. No matter what happened to you on that island or who you became, the secrets you kept about my own life, I mean...you lied to me about who my father was..."

Oliver shook his head slightly.

"Malcolm may have been your blood but Robert was your father."

Thea gave him a look that clearly said she didn't believe that and he sighed softly.

"I lied to you about him too," he admitted quietly. "Dad wasn't the man we thought he was. He was better. And I've kept something from you because I just...I never wanted you to know." He drew a slow breath and met his sister's gaze. "Dad made it off the _Gambit_ with me."

Thea shook her head. "You told me he drowned."

"We made it to a lifeboat together but...but there wasn't enough food or water for the both of us. So he killed himself." 

Thea looked away from him, tears glistening in her eyes and though he wished he could have spared her that pain he knew how important the truth was between them now. She deserved to know the man who had loved her, who had called her daughter even when he didn't have to, had been a good a man. 

"That is one secret that I'm telling you now because I need you to realize that Mom...and Dad...they sacrificed themselves so that we could live. And if we're not together then...then we're not even really alive. You are my family, you and my daughter, all I have, and...and even if you don't need me anymore, Speedy, I still need you. Please just...just consider what I'm saying."

Thea nodded shakily as Oliver stood and left without another word.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Malcolm was waiting at the house for Thea to return, his sources already having informed him of her visits from her brother.

Of course he'd already known Oliver was on the island, the Omega, his Omega, had come first to the house looking for Thea and it had taken all of his strength and will not to fling the damn door open and reveal he was alive. Hearing his mate's voice had been like a siren's song, one he'd had to fight very hard not to give into, especially when all he wanted was to hold the younger man. To touch and kiss him. To give him everything he should have two years ago when he first realized they were Bonded.

When Thea finally returned to the house she announced she was returning to Starling and though he tested her, letting her win their little battle, he knew he wouldn't stop her from leaving. Even if he tried she'd just find another way. A way that might include telling Oliver he was alive despite her promise that she wouldn't.

He of course would be following her shortly.

He wasn't about to let her or Oliver or Robbie stand alone against what he knew was coming.


	4. Chapter 4

After getting back to Starling, while Thea went to settle in at a friend's place, Oliver and Roy went back to the foundry to unwind, Robbie greeted them quietly and Oliver knew he would soon have to talk to her or convince her to open up to someone, Felicity or Lyla maybe, or else she might never recover from Sara's death. While she sat at one of the tables, reading over something for school, Oliver turned his attention to Roy, complimenting him on his work in Corto Maltese.

Roy grinned. "I had a good teacher." And he couldn't help but tease. "Not judgemental, occasionally temperamental one."

Oliver huffed.

"Those are the best kind," he said, remembering how Slade had been much the same with him. They both laughed and Oliver was glad he hadn't given up on Roy. That he'd stuck by the younger Omega. Once the bit of mirth had faded Oliver looked at his friend.

"Did Thea seem...different...to you?"

Roy shrugged. "Her hair's a lot shorter," he said in that usual joking tone of his before he turned serious. "But that's not what you mean. What...What do you mean?"

Oliver shook his head.

"I don't know. Did she say anything? Was she maybe seeing somebody?"

Roy chuckled. "If Thea was with anybody else I've got a feeling I'd be the last person to know."

Oliver drew a breath and started to open his mouth to say something but the sound of an arrow being drawn had him moving, turning and reflexively placing himself between the intruder and Roy. The dark haired archer staring them down, bow raised, arrow nocked and drawn, was glaring daggers at them with dark, blazing eyes.

"Where is she," Nyssa demanded fiercely, barely a hint of Omega in her voice, she sounded more like a savage Alpha denied her mate. "Where is Sara?"

Oliver drew a deep breath and realized that while he'd been hunting for Sara's killer the League, Nyssa, had taken keen note of her absence. Before he could say anything Nyssa was speaking once more.

"She came here for the League two weeks ago," the female Omega all but growled but in that cultured way of hers. "We've not heard from her since."

Oliver drew another deep breath, seeing Robbie move out of the corner of his eye, the little girl standing from her chair, moving closer to him and Roy.

"There's something I need to tell you," he said softly, knowing he should have found a way to contact her much sooner. But before he could find the words Nyssa's hands began shaking, her eyes widening a fraction even as her breathing stuttering, lower lip quivering ever so slightly. The female Omega knew. In her heart and soul she knew what he meant to say.

"Sara's dead," she whispered the words, more a declaration and Oliver could hear the grief, clear as day, in her voice. He gave the faintest nod and Nyssa barely made a sound, her hands shaking more, her pain written clear as day on her face, as she slowly lowered the bow.

"I'm so sorry," Oliver breathed the words as he took a few steps towards her but the female Omega did not want comfort. She looked at him sharply, eyes knowing.

"It was an arrow, wasn't it?"

"How do you know that?"

Nyssa didn't answer that question, instead she demanded to know where Sara was and, once Oliver told her they'd buried the fallen assassin in her grave from seven years ago, the female Omega turned and stormed out as easily as she'd entered. Roy followed Nyssa, to keep tabs on her, while Oliver went to meet Thea for dinner. After a while Roy relayed to Oliver that Nyssa had gone to the cemetery, to Sara's grave, before retreating to some sort of League safe house. He got the address from the younger man before going to the apartment himself, wanting to get answers from Nyssa about what had happened to Sara. Because he was absolutely certain she knew more than she was saying.

The apartment barely looked habitable, though there were clothes here and there and food on the little table in the living room area and, though it had been weeks, Oliver could still smell Sara's scent in the air. He didn't try to hide his footsteps and Nyssa, back to him, reacted like any trained killer. She whirled, sword in hand, stopping short of slicing open his neck.

"Are you ready to talk," he asked calmly and Nyssa, though continuing to glare, lowered and sheathed her sword.

"We've nothing to discuss," she declared, tears dotting her lashes, and Oliver shook his head. Refusing to accept that answer.

"The trail for Sara's killer has gone cold," he told her even as she turned away from him. "I need your help."

"Whereas I don't need yours," she snarled faintly, glaring at him over her shoulder. He huffed faintly.

"Really? We've gathered evidence, we're working leads. You're visiting cemeteries and hiding in safe houses."

Nyssa growled faintly as she turned fully to face him once more.

"I am not hiding," she rumbled. "And this place...it was Sara's when she was in Starling."

Oliver turned and checked the camera Sara had left on a chair but found nothing important, nothing to hint at who she'd been tracking or who was responsible for her death. He found a can of fruit and couldn't help but say that they'd been Sara's favourites. It made Nyssa smile sadly, the female Omega clearly knowing that, but realizing they shared a similar grief. As he set the can aside he looked at Nyssa.

"Okay," he said softly, stepping towards her. "You said Sara was in Starling for the League. That suggests her target was also her killer."

"Agreed. Except it wasn't a target. Sara came to Starling because of rumours, whispers really, that an enemy of the League was here."

"Who?"

"Malcolm Merlyn. He's alive." 

Oliver felt a jolt of shock shoot through him.

It wasn't possible and yet Nyssa's expression was open and completely honest. But still he shook his head, refusing to believe, to accept it.

"No. No, Malcolm...he died. The night of the Undertaking. I felt him die."

"Did you," Nyssa asked, sounding almost genuinely curious. "Or did your grief over the death of your friend and your failure to protect the city you love blind you to the truth? Could it not be possible that what you thought to be the Bond breaking was, in fact, merely Merlyn skilfully and carefully blocking said Bond?"

When it was put like that Oliver had to admit it made a lot of sense. Slade had, after all, convinced him for over five years that he was dead. And given how easily he'd blocked the Bond with Malcolm it probably hadn't taken much for the Alpha to block it as well, to trick his mind and heart into thinking his Alpha was dead. With shaking hands he scrubbed at his face. Feeling as though his world had been turned upside down and shaken like a snow globe.

"I understand that this must be quite shocking to hear," Nyssa said calmly, reaching out and lightly touching his arm. "But right now we must ready your team for what we must do."

Oliver studied her for a moment before he nodded. Knowing she would have answers to at least some of the questions rolling through his mind.


	5. Chapter 5

Together Oliver and Nyssa went to the foundry, thought the female Omega waited until the others had joined them before she explained anything.

"Merlyn was a member of the League of Assassins," she said as she prowled around the computer station, her movements graceful but full of lethal strength. "My father released him from his obligations to us with the understanding that he would abide by its code of conduct."

Roy huffed. "You guys are professional killers," the young Omega said tartly, looking at Nyssa funnily. "That is a pretty low bar."

Nyssa gave him a withering look. "Merlyn's Undertaking violated the League's principles." She looked at Oliver. "When you killed him we considered the matter settled but then we received word from a reliable source that Merlyn faked his demise."

"What source," Diggle asked and Nyssa's gaze swung to him while Oliver sat in a chair, still trying to come to terms with everything.

"Oliver's mother."

Oliver drew a sharp breath even as Roy huffed and shook his head.

"Oliver's mom wasn't exactly known for her honesty," the youngest Omega said but Oliver knew better. When he looked at Roy his friend was quick to try and reassure him. "No offence but I can't believe a guy everyone thinks is dead suddenly...isn't."

"Neither did I," Oliver said softly as he stood, thankful that Robbie was at school. He wasn't certain how she would handle this news. She had never truly accepted the truth that Malcolm was her father. Choosing instead to continue to operate under her old belief that Slade belonged in that role. Learning her true Alpha father was alive, so soon after Sara's death, would likely be too much for her. "But then we found these."

He tapped the computer screen, bringing up the photographs that had been hidden in a file on the memory card in Sara's camera. Photographs taken weeks early of Malcolm in Starling.

Roy looked from the photographs to Oliver. "Didn't the police...you know...find his body?"

Oliver shook his head. "Malcolm...Merlyn...had resources all over the city. I'm willing to be one was in the coroner's office."

"Well what about...you know...the two of you being Bonded," Roy asked and Oliver sighed.

"It's possible to block a Bond. To...To trick the mind and heart and body into believing the other is dead." Oliver and Nyssa shared a look as he explained that. "I did it with Merlyn after I learned what he was planning. After I stabbed him Merlyn likely blocked the Bond from his end and...between my grief and guilt I didn't notice that what I was feeling was different than the other broken Bonds."

Roy blinked. "Others?"

Oliver gave him a look that clearly said _not now_ before looking at Nyssa.

"Since learning Merlyn was alive," the female Omega said, glaring daggers at the photographs of Malcolm. "The League has hunted him all over the globe. Running down every rumour. Following every whisper."

"And one of those whispers put Merlyn back in Starling," Diggle said as he turned to face Nyssa, who had moved to stand next to Oliver.

"Sara tracked him here," Oliver said as he looked at his friend. "We're going to follow her steps."

"You said you found evidence on her person," Nyssa asked and Oliver nodded.

"Yes. Roy."

Roy nodded. "We found a blank piece of paper in Sara's boot but...why would she be carrying a blank piece of paper?"

Nyssa revealed the paper wasn't blank. Sara had used a special ink, a League secret, ink identical to that used in the book of names Oliver had used when he'd first began his crusade to save the city, and using the heat of a flame the writing on the paper was revealed. Notes Sara had scribbled concerning her surveillance of Malcolm. There wasn't much but there was a name. Jansen. And a note about asking her father for help. Meanign she'd likely reached out to Lance.

Thankfully Laurel was more than happy to go to her father for them. And he revealed that Jansen was a person. Ken Zhi Jansen. He admitted to Laurel that Sara had been in the city weeks earlier but had asked him not to say anything. Nyssa of course, wanting to be certain they got the information, also went to the police station but Laurel headed her off before she could speak to Lance. Their conversation revealing that Laurel still hadn't told her father of Sara's death. And while Nyssa thought it foolish, believing Lance had the right to truly aid in avenging the death of his daughter, she heeded Laurel's request that Lance be kept in the dark until she decided to tell him. They got the information from Lance about where to find Jansen.

Oliver, having gone to check with some of his Bratva contacts about Jansen, just in case Lance didn't pan out, returned to the foundry that afternoon to find Nyssa curled on his bed, holding Robbie, singing softly in Arabic, a lullaby from the sound of it and he said nothing as he stood there, watching the female Omega gently comb her fingers through Robbie's hair even as his precious little girl wound the long dark strands of Nyssa's hair around her fingers.

As Nyssa finished singing her dark gaze lifted, meeting Oliver's and she gave a small smile, and it was encouragement enough that he walked over, sitting with her and his daughter. Watching as Robbie dozed off, tucked safely against Nyssa's side, he smiled.

Nyssa waited until she was absolutely certain Robbie was asleep before she spoke.

"I do not know if Sara ever explained a blood debt set by the League," she said softly, not wanting to disturb Robbie. The girl had been like a niece to Sara and, if she could, Nyssa would spare her any more grief. "But...But by our laws it is not only the betrayer who is meant to die."

Oliver stiffened, not liking what that hinted at. "Nyssa..."

"When Sara told me I swore never to reveal the truth to anyone. Not even my father." Nyssa's dark eyes shone with honesty and strength. "She is an innocent child. She should not be blamed for...for Merlyn's transgressions."

Oliver sighed in relief. "Thank you," he whispered and Nyssa nodded, glancing at Robbie, brushing her hair back gently.

"Who does she think is her father, Oliver?"

Her question wasn't surprising. Merely told him that Sara hadn't told Nyssa everything. He sighed softly as he looked from Robbie to Nyssa. "Slade Wilson." 

"He was there when she was small. First forming her memories."

He nodded even though Nyssa hadn't asked a question. The female Omega reached out, surprising him as she cupped his cheek and gave him a gentle, considering smile. "Let her have that, Oliver," she said kindly. "Let her have an Alpha who loves her and would protect her, even from himself. Let her have the Alpha who cherishes her, even in his madness. Do not give her Malcolm Merlyn."

"She already knows about...about Merlyn."

Nyssa regarded him for a moment. "Does she refer to him as father or dad?"

Oliver shook his head and Nyssa smiled a tiny bit wider.

"Then she has not accepted him. She will not set aside the memories and love she has for the man who was there when she needed him most." Nyssa rubbed his thumb over Oliver's cheek before withdrawing her hand. "As I said, Oliver, do not give her the man who would betray and turn on her to further his own agenda."

Oliver nodded as he looked at Robbie. He knew Nyssa was right. And, despite his instincts telling him Malcolm, as Robbie's Alpha father, had every right to their daughter he shoved those instincts down. Fought them. Robbie deserved better than a man who faked his death and was responsible for the deaths of five-hundred-and-three people. Including his own son. The brother Robbie had never gotten to truly know. She also deserved better than Slade Wilson but given the two evils he would sooner see his daughter love the man who had been there for her, who had, and still, loved her even though she wasn't his.

It reminded him, funnily enough, of his own father with Thea.

Drawing a deep breath he looked back at Nyssa. "Laurel said you got an address for Jansen?"

She nodded.

"Then let's get ready. He may need some...persuasion...to tell us about Merlyn."

Nyssa smiled. It was a cold, predatory smile.

"I will be more than glad to offer that persuasion."


	6. Chapter 6

They used the address Lance had provided them to track Jansen to a local monastery but, as it turned out, Jansen had been dead since 2012 and the man Nyssa confronted was none other than Malcolm Merlyn. Though Oliver hadn't been able to force himself to take a kill shot he had tagged the Alpha with nano-tech that they would be able to use to track him down again. Nyssa had been less than thrilled by this and after a brief disagreement in the foundry had followed Laurel's lead and stormed out.

While Roy went to keep an eye on Thea in case Malcolm tried to contact her Diggle, in the absence of Felicity, who was in Central City visiting Barry, who had woken up from his coma, managed to use the nano-tech to guide Oliver to a warehouse only for them to discover Malcolm had used the tech to lure Oliver there in order to set up a face to face somewhere more public. Somewhere Oliver, and Nyssa if she followed him, would be less inclined to violence.

Oliver, despite his every instinct, went to meet Malcolm. Not surprised that the Alpha had chosen a very public square to meet.

He went, sans Arrow gear, to meet the man who might very well be responsible for Sara's death.

Prowling through the crowd until, through the throng and noise of people, Malcolm's voice reached him.

"Hello, Oliver."

He stiffened, noticeably so, as he slowly turned to face the Alpha he'd thought, for nearly two years, to be dead. Malcolm didn't look any different than he had the last time Oliver had seen him and as he approached the Alpha, slowly, as calmly as he could manage, he saw the smile spread across the man's face.

"You've accomplished a lot with this city," the Alpha spoke warmly and Oliver fought down the growl bubbling up in his chest. "Much more than I would have thought possible. Especially considering all you've been forced to deal with recently."

Oliver growled, faintly, and couldn't fight down his response.

Driving his fist into Malcolm's jaw was, surprisingly, worth it. He watched the Alpha stagger a bit, ignoring the shocked looks from people passing by them as he growled again, louder this time.

"I'm not here to discuss Starling or what I have or haven't been doing," the Omega snarled fiercely. "You're lucky I didn't just send Nyssa."

Malcolm straightened his suit, rubbing his jaw, giving Oliver a considering look.

"You think I killed Sara Lance."

"If you didn't explain how you know she's dead."

Malcolm sighed. "These streets were mine long before you laid claim to them," the Alpha said, still sounding so calm that Oliver was tempted to punch him again. "This is still my city, Oliver. Just like you're still..."

"I would be _very_ careful what you say next, Malcolm." Oliver's words were more growl than anything and his gaze narrowed fiercely.

"Or what? As I understand it you're not killing people these days." Malcolm sighed softly.

"I'm seriously considering making an exception for you."

Malcolm gave him this soft, searching look, no doubt gauging the truth of his word and, when the Alpha started to reach out to touch his arm, Oliver flinched back and growled in warning, making a brief flicker of hurt to dance through the Alpha's eyes.

"I'm sorry, if that's any comfort, for what I've put you through. I never wanted...I...I was trying to keep you, to keep our daughter, safe."

Oliver snarled faintly, taking a small step towards Malcolm, gaze narrowing further.

"Don't for one second pretend that anything you did was for my daughter," the Omega snapped hotly. "If you really cared you'd have stayed as far from Starling City as you could. Instead of dragging the League, and your blood debt, here to threaten not only Robbie but Thea."

"Don't you think I tried to stay away? Oliver...I tried...so hard. Especially after Moira told the League I was still alive but...but the last of my family is in this city. My daughters. My mate."

Oliver rumbled. "Don't. Don't you dare..."

"You _are_ my mate, Oliver. Whether you want to admit it or not. You are mine just as I am yours and I...I will do everything I can to make up for failing you, for failing our daughter. And you're right. I've come back with a blood debt on my head and endangered all of you. But tell me, Oliver, why would I try to have the blood debt Ra's placed upon my head by killing the love of his daughter's life? It doesn't make sense."

"Neither did the Undertaking," Oliver growled despite the fact that Malcolm made perfect sense. "Neither did tricking me into believing you were dead. I...I grieved for you. I buried your memory deep so that I could keep going and...and all this time it was a lie. You could be lying about killing Sara."

"Oliver."

"Sara comes back to Starling. You come back to Starling. Sara's murdered. You see the pattern?"

"I came back for you," Malcolm growled. "For my daughters. Did you know that six months ago Thea was almost killed by one of Slade Wilson's Mirakuru soldiers? _I_ protected her."

Oliver snarled, getting right into Malcolm's personal space, right in the Alpha's face.

_"You're lying,"_ he snarled, sounding vicious and animalistic. "Thea made it out before the attack."

"Unfortunately she didn't. But you wouldn't know that because you were too busy running around being...what is it you're calling yourself these days? _The Arrow_?" Malcolm shook his head. "Thea needed my protection then and she needs it now. Just like you and Robbie do."

"You're going to stay away from my sister." Oliver stepped a little closer to Malcolm, not caring that to those walking by them the gesture must have looked incredibly intimate. "And Robbie."

"I've kept my distance," Malcolm said, sounding so calm once again. "But the world is a dangerous place and despite your best intentions you are too distracted to properly protect either of them."

"You're a killer."

" _Yes_ ," Malcolm said firmly, eyes blazing. "I am." His features softened again. "But I swear, I swear to you on Thea's life, on Robbie's life, and on my love for you, Oliver, that I am not Sara Lance's killer."

Oliver regarded Malcolm silently for a moment, searching the Alpha's face for the truth, but he couldn't be certain if what he was seeing was honesty or just a very convincing lie. Part of him, the part that still yearned for his Alpha, wanted so desperately to believe Malcolm. He wanted to believe that after murdering his own son Malcolm had at least changed a little bit. But given the evidence, given what he knew about Malcolm, he doubted and that doubt was stronger than his desire to believe.

"I've missed you, Oliver," Malcolm whispered after several tense minutes of silence, even being so bold as to reach for Oliver's hand but the Omega shied back. Again a flicker of hurt danced through Malcolm's eyes. "Oliver, please..."

"Can you actually speak without lying?"

Malcolm flinched back as though Oliver had struck him again but the Alpha seemed to understand Oliver was in no mood to continue talking because he stepped around Oliver and, in the blink of an eye, had disappeared into the crowd. 

Leaving Oliver to stand there alone, trying to come to terms with everything that had just happened.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning Oliver met with Thea and, despite part of him insisting it was a bad idea, he told her about Malcolm being alive. Thea told him she hadn't heard from or seen the man but something, her body language, told him that she wasn't as okay as she tried to let on. After talking with Thea he returned to the foundry to find Nyssa waiting for him, demanding to know if he had killed Malcolm.

"No," he said, earning a dark scowl from the female Omega. "He swore to be he didn't kill Sara."

Nyssa huffed angrily.

"And you, of all people, should know all of his words are lies."

"I believe him."

Nyssa scowl deepened. And Oliver quickly pressed on.

"He swore to me, on his daughter's life."

Nyssa's scowl became more of a frown as she glanced, quickly and briefly, at Robbie, who hadn't yet left for school. But Oliver shook his head, telling her without words he didn't mean Robbie or, at least, not only Robbie. Nyssa let out a soft sound as Oliver stepped around her, walking several steps away from her.

"We had heard rumours Merlyn had fathered another child," she said softly, sounding much calmer than she had minutes earlier. "We couldn't confirm them." As Oliver looked at her again Nyssa gave the smallest of smiles. "You know who it is."

"I do."

Nyssa took a step towards him. "If you put me through the effort of finding out on my own I might have to exact a price from whomever it is you are protecting."

Oliver rumbled faintly. Knowing the threat wasn't empty.

"It's Thea." Nyssa appeared momentarily surprised. "My sister is Merlyn's daughter. And that is the reason he came back to Starling City. Because she did. He's...He's trying to protect her."

Nyssa glanced away. Her gaze settled on Robbie, and Oliver saw a flicker of doubt in her dark eyes, as though she might be, for a moment at least, considering that he was right. But when Robbie gave her a tiny smile Nyssa looked at him again, her gaze once more cold and full of her certainty. A certainty that Malcolm was responsible for Sara's death.

"That is why you spared him. Twice."

"No. He...He explained to me in his own...twisted way...that he loves her and then he swore to me, on her life."

"And I swore an oath of my own that I would see Sara's killer brought to justice."

"Nyssa..."

"I swore," Nyssa growled, taking a step towards him. "To Sara's soul, to her sister, and to your own daughter, that I would avenge Sara."

Oliver's eyes widened and he glanced at Robbie, who was watching them, and he saw the pain and grief still so fresh in his daughter's eyes and he couldn't blame Nyssa for promising her that she would bring Sara's killer to justice. He looked back at Nyssa and let out a soft sound.

"I want to find Sara's killer, just as much as you do," he said. "But I...I just don't believe Malcolm is who we are looking for."

Nyssa shook her head, growling faintly, eyes flashing with her emotions.

"Your Bond with Merlyn blinds you to the truth. You do not see it because you do not wish to."

"That's not..."

"It is the same reason you could not bring yourself to kill Slade Wilson even though you knew the danger he posed."

Oliver growled at that.

"And we stopped Slade without having to resort to killing."

"You're affection for dangerous men, men who threaten all you hold dear, will be the end of you, Oliver." Nyssa shook her head, dark curls bouncing around her face. "Sara would not wish that. She sought to protect you. To protect Roberta." The female Omega gave him a somewhat softer look. "She would be ashamed to see you so hindered and blinded by a Bond that, to the Alpha you share it with, makes you little more than a pawn."

"Nyssa..."

She shook her head and turned, starting to storm off, but she paused, going to Robbie instead, cupping the girl's cheek before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I will keep my promise," the female Omega whispered and Robbie gave the faintest of nods. Nyssa smiled, shooting Oliver a dark look, before storming from the foundry.

Feeling that Nyssa just needed time, either to calm down or go after Malcolm herself, Oliver chose not to go after her. He tried to talk to Robbie but his little girl gave him this accusing look, as though she blamed him for something, and stormed off herself, muttering that she had to get to the bus storm and go to school. By that evening Oliver was realizing just how wrong he'd been to let Nyssa leave.

In her attempt to get to Malcolm she abducted Thea, knowing that by doing so she would draw Malcolm out. Thanks to Laurel, who'd been trying to track Nyssa or Thea from the police station, they figured out Nyssa was using a smoke signal to alert Malcolm to the fact that she'd taken his child and, thanks to a traffic camera catching said smoke signal, Oliver had the address of the warehouse where he could find Nyssa and his sister.

Nyssa, of course, did not take his interference well, especially when he managed to free Thea and let her run, and, during their scuffle, she nearly managed to take him down but was stopped when Malcolm fired an arrow to knock Nyssa's sword from her hand. The Alpha, dressed in his League gear, was standing above them on a tank of some sort and from behind her mask Nyssa glared at Malcolm even as she pushed Oliver away from her.

"There's a misunderstanding the three of us need to clear up," Malcolm rumbled and Nyssa growled in response.

"A conversation I'm eager to have," she spat. "Over your rotting corpse."

Malcolm fired three arrows at her but Nyssa deflected them with a length of black silk. She drew her dagger even as Malcolm leapt down to engage her. Oliver leapt into the fray as well, the three of them fighting against each other, though Nyssa kept trying to drive Oliver from her path solely so she could get to Malcolm while Malcolm did the same and Oliver merely tried to keep the two of them from killing each other.

It went on for several minutes until Malcolm managed to disarm Nyssa, using two trick arrows loaded with cables, to pin the enraged female Omega to a tanker. The Alpha spun to engage Oliver but he was ready for him. Using an explosive arrow to disorient Malcolm, who dropped to his knees, shaken, bow clattering reach out of reach, and Oliver nocked another arrow to his bow, taking aim at the man. 

"Do it, Oliver!" 

Nyssa's voice was full of rage, of pain, and part of Oliver wanted to let his arrow fly, wanted to kill Malcolm, for everything he had done. For all the lives he had destroyed. But as the Alpha looked up at him, pulling his mask and hood off, eyes pleading, he knew he couldn't. Not because Malcolm was his Alpha or because he was Thea and Robbie's father. But because he no longer believed that Malcolm was responsible for Sara's death and while the man might deserve death for his crimes Oliver wasn't the man to do that. 

Not anymore.

Nyssa sensed his hesitation, saw it in the tension of his shoulders, and she tried to convince him further.

"He killed Sara. Tommy. He will corrupt your sister. He will destroy your daughter's innocence!"

Oliver's fingers flexed around his bow even as Malcolm growled at Nyssa's accusation even as he all but tore his hood and mask off. "There is blood on my hands," the Alpha said as he stared up at Oliver. "Almost too much to contemplate but _none_ of it is Sara's."

"Kill him, Oliver!"

Malcolm snarled as his glared at Nyssa. "I did not kill your beloved!" His voice was loud and his expression a mix of fury, no doubt from the accusation of killing Sara, and honesty, or at least as much honesty as he was likely to show. "Your father doubted Sara's loyalties the moment you brought her home. You know your father, what he is capable of, he will kill without hesitation. Do you really need me to tell you what he would do to the degenerate who would steal his daughter's heart?"

Nyssa made a pained, grieving sound and Oliver knew the other Omega didn't want to accept Malcolm's words. That she didn't want to believe her father capable of taking away the person she loved. Malcolm knew it too because he slowly stood, taking a few steps towards Oliver who had lowered his bow.

"Nyssa doesn't believe me, Oliver," he said calmly, meeting Oliver's gaze. "If _you_ don't believe me listen to her. Kill me."

Oliver gave the slightest shake of his head and Malcolm seemed to take that as an answer because he turned, grabbing up his own bow, before making to leave only to still when he heard Oliver lift his bow and draw the arrow back. The Alpha stilled immediately.

"You may not have killed Sara," Oliver growled, his own pain and grief over her loss lacing his words. "But you're still a murderer."

"What are you going to do," Malcolm taunted as he turned around. "Arrest me?"

"I could have SCPD here in three minutes."

"And in half that time I'll escape whatever prison they put me in. You know that and so does she. We were trained by the League no prison can hold us!" Malcolm gave him an almost smug smile. "Not even your one on Lian Yu."

Oliver felt shock shoot through him. He'd thought he'd been so careful with that secret. Thought the only people who knew were Waller and his team. Seemed he'd been wrong. Malcolm, still smiling, continued speaking.

"Which leaves you with only one option. To break your vows and kill me. Kill your own Alpha. Your sister's father. The father of _your_ daughter."

Oliver growled then and his fingers twitched against the bowstring, ready to loose the arrow and he saw the slight flicker of doubt in Malcolm's eyes. But despite everything, despite knowing that Malcolm was dangerous, was a threat, he couldn't bring himself to kill the man. Couldn't bring himself to kill his Alpha. So, with a low growl, he lowered his bow.

Malcolm gave a slight nod before snatching up his bow and disappearing into the shadows.

Nyssa snarled in outrage and as Oliver freed her she glared at him.

"You could have avenged many lives. Saved countless more. And instead you let him go!"

Oliver stepped back. "If you and Sara had had a child and she betrayed you and everything you stood for could you kill her? Could you take her life as easily as you seem to think I can take Malcolm's?"

"That would be different," Nyssa countered with a growl. "I loved Sara."

"And there was a time that I loved Malcolm!"

Silence settled but Oliver's voice echoed throughout the factory and as his chest heaved for breath, as he stared at his fellow Omega, he realized that this was the first time he had ever admitted, aloud, that he had ever been in love with Malcolm Merlyn. It didn't feel as freeing as he'd once thought it would. Instead it felt as though a new weight was pressing down on him, threatening to crush him with the truth.

"Oliver..."

"I know he's a killer. I know he's a threat, not only to the people in Starling but to the world itself but I can't just...I can't kill my Alpha, Nyssa. I...I can't suffer through that again."

Nyssa frowned beneath her mask. "What do you mean? Again?"

Oliver drew a deep breath as he returned his arrow to his quiver. "During my time...away...from Starling I was claimed by several other Alphas." He saw her eyes widen. It was rare, exceedingly rare, though it did happen, for an Omega to take more than one Alpha. "The Bonds weren't as strong as the one I share with Malcolm but...but I felt each of them when they died. Felt the pain and the grief and the devastation and it...it nearly destroyed me, Nyssa. Each time. I...I can't go through it again. Not when I've been Bonded to Malcolm for nearly eight years."

Nyssa slowly nodded, understanding like any Omega would that the longer the Bond had been in place the more traumatic the effects of it breaking was. "While I can understand your position," she finally said as she slid her dagger back into its sheath. "You will forgive me if I do not share your belief in Merlyn's innocence in Sara's death."

"Nyssa..."

"You said yourself he is a killer and..."

"And what does he gain from killing Sara?"

Nyssa stared at him, the question having caught her off guard, but she shook herself and huffed angrily.

"It was a message. His way of saying he could reach out and take from us as easily as we could take from him." She tipped her chin up. "I know you do not wish to see the truth and, no matter the reason for that, I cannot accept his claims. I _will not_ accept them."

"Nyssa..."

She turned and, like Malcolm, disappeared into the shadows.

He sighed and returned to the foundry, finding Diggle, Roy and Laurel waiting. He managed to reassure them all and was surprised when Nyssa arrived, still dressed in her League gear, he started to speak but she did what he suspected she'd wanted to do back at the warehouse. She punched him, powerfully, in the jaw, driving him back a step.

He shook his head, rubbing faintly at his jaw, looking at her fiercely for a moment before he sighed. "I may have deserved that."

"You deserve much worse." Nyssa rumbled faintly. "You are a fool. Who insults the memory of a woman he loved."

"I will not kill a man who may not even be the one responsible for Sara's death."

"That you even believe he could not be capable for her murder is further proof that you are blinded by the Bond you share with him."

Nyssa scoffed and turned, starting to walk about but stilled when Oliver said her name, glancing back at him.

"So long as Malcolm Merlyn is in my city the League will make no move on him. He's under my protection."

Nyssa snarled faintly.

"You would incur the wrath of the League of Assassins?"

He tipped his chin up even as he took a step towards her. "I will do what I have to in order to buy the time necessary to find out what really happened with Sara."

"You have made an enemy tonight," Nyssa replied, eyes flashing with rage. "One with a long memory. And while I may not choose to remove you from my path to Merlyn I will not stop others from doing so."

Oliver watched as she left the foundry and wished things hadn't gone the way they had. But he just couldn't believe Malcolm would kill Sara when it did not benefit him in some way.


	8. Chapter 8

Nyssa prowled from the foundry and out into the alleyway outside of _Verdant_ , her fury wrapped around her like a cloak, and she was heading for end of the alley when Robbie stepped out from behind a stack of crates. The girl, so quiet, startled her and she barely fought down the reflex to draw an arrow. She breathed out a soft sigh and looked at the girl her beloved had loved so dearly.

"Roberta," she said softly. "You should be more careful. I could have hurt you."

"Daddy didn't let you kill Mr Merlyn, did he?"

"No," Nyssa saw no point in lying to the girl. "He did not."

Robbie's nose wrinkled. It was an adorable gesture of confusion. Sara had done the same thing. It made Nyssa wonder if perhaps Robbie had picked the gesture up from her beloved.

"Why?" Robbie stepped closer as she asked the question, golden curls framing her face in nearly the same way Sara's had and, if she hadn't known any better, Nyssa could have easily believed Robbie to be her lost beloved's daughter.

"Because he believed Merlyn to be innocent."

"Is he?"

Nyssa regarded Robbie for a moment but she shook her head.

"Malcolm Merlyn is a killer, Roberta. He killed hundreds of people with his Undertaking and he killed Sara as a taunt to me. A taunt to my father. He will, soon, answer to the League, to the Demon's Head, for his crimes."

"Do you promise?"

Nyssa smiled and nodded. "I swore to you I would avenge Sara and I will."

Robbie drew a deep breath and, for a moment, it was easy to forget she was barely eight-years-old. She seemed so much older. A child forced to accept too much death and suffering too soon in her short life.

"Daddy tries really hard to protect people. He doesn't want to be a killer." She stepped right up to Nyssa. "It doesn't make him a bad person he just...he's..."

"Naive," Nyssa supplied and Robbie nodded. "Your daddy _is_ a good man, Roberta, but sometimes the only way to stop bad men is with death. It is the only justice that can be given to them. Malcolm Merlyn is such a man."

"But he'll face justice. One day. You or your father will make sure of that."

Nyssa nodded, amazed at Robbie's reasoning, her understanding of the situation, and wasn't surprised when Robbie suddenly hugged her. She held the girl close, knowing that, in another life, a life where Oliver fell to Slade Wilson and his army, Sara would have brought this sweet child to Nanda Parbat and they would have raised her together. Robbie could have, in another life, been her daughter. And while that life had never come to be she would do anything to protect Robbie Queen in this one.

Pressing a kiss to Robbie's curls she vowed, in Arabic, to always protect and love Robbie. To guard her as fiercely as Sara would have. To cherish her as deeply as Oliver did. So long as she lived she would be someone Robbie could always turn to.

She started to step back, thinking to guide Robbie back into the club, to the foundry, but paused as Robbie wrapped a scarf, dark red and matching her gear almost perfectly around her neck.

"It's so you'll always remember me," Robbie said softly, smiling in that sweet, innocent way that made Nyssa's heart skip slightly. "So no matter where you are or what you're doing you'll know you're not alone."

Nyssa smiled and kissed Robbie's forehead before unbuckling one of her daggers from her belt, attaching it to Robbie's. "And this," she said, still smiling. "Is so that no matter how far away I am you will always be protected."

Robbie's smile brightened and Nyssa hugged her again before directing her to the door leading to the foundry and then, once she was certain Robbie would return to Oliver and the others the assassin disappeared into the shadows.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Nyssa's journey back home, to Nanda Parbat, was quick and uneventful.

She was greeted at the gates by fellow League members, who bowed respectfully as she passed, one directing her to the chamber of the Lazarus Pit when she asked where her father was.

Entering the room she knelt reflexively, obediently, seeing her father soaking in the healing waters of the Pit, guards standing to either side of the room.

"The rumours were true," she declared as she pushed her hood back. "Malcolm Merlyn is in Starling City."

"There is a sadness in your voice," her father replied before he slowly stood, water trickling as he climbed from the Pit.

Nyssa's lip quivered before she managed to speak. "Ta-er al-Sahfer. She has fallen."

Her father paused for a moment before a servant stepped forth with his clothing.

"Sara Lance is dead," he said, stating it as he had stated countless other names of fallen League members. Dressing quickly.

"Yes," Nyssa replied, reading nothing into the emotionless tone of her father's voice. It was his way. If he openly grieved every member of the League who died he would likely never properly lead them. "Struck through the heart with an arrow."

The sound of a sword, her father's sword, being sheathed echoed through the air.

"At Merlyn's hand?"

"It appears." Nyssa growled faintly. "I vowed a blood oath to avenge her."

"Al Sa-her will face the League's justice but for his crimes against our code."

Nyssa frowned and looked at her father. "But Sara..."

"Was never truly one of us." As her father turned to face her Nyssa had to banish Merlyn's words, his declarations of her father's doubts about Sara from her mind. Her father would never take from her the love of her life. He was cruel and cold when necessary, yes, but he was not cruel and cold to her.

When her father walked towards her Nyssa respectfully bowed her head as he stood before her.

"What of Oliver Queen?"

"He has sworn to protect Merlyn at any cost."

She looked up at him as he faintly growled and, for a moment, he was not her father. He was merely Ra's al Ghul, the Demon's Head, leader of the League of Assassins. An Alpha feared by countless nations and people. But then she blinked and it was as though nothing had changed between them.

"If that is true then Oliver Queen courts war with us."

Something in her face, or her gaze, must have betrayed her because Ra's looked down at her curiously.

"What else, my child?"

Nyssa hesitated for only a moment before she spoke. "It is Oliver Queen's child, Roberta."

"The child Ta-er al-Sahfer sought my blessing to bring here and protect should Oliver Queen fall in defence of his city."

"Yes."

"What of her?"

"I promised her I would see Sara's killer brought to justice."

Ra's chuckled faintly. "You promised a child this?"

"She was...very fond of Sara."

"Sara loved the girl. I heard it in her voice when she spoke of the child." Ra's took a step forward, regarding his daughter. "As I hear it in your voice now."

Nyssa tipped her chin upwards slightly. "If things had played out differently between Oliver and Slade Wilson then Roberta Queen would have been raised here, by Sara and I."

"You feel she would have become your daughter."

"Yes."

Ra's smiled as he reached down, brushing Nyssa's hair back gently, cupping her cheek as his smile widened ever so slightly. He deeply believed his precious daughter would make an excellent mother. A shame it had not come to pass.

"Roberta Queen is an innocent child and the League does not harm the innocent." He stepped back, slowly turning away from Nyssa. "We will give Mr Queen time to present Ta-er al-Sahfer's killer and, should he fail in this task, then we shall show him, and Starling City, what happens when the League seeks to bring justice to the guilty."

Nyssa smiled and bowed her head again.

"As you command, Father."


	9. Chapter 9

Oliver's hunt for Sara's killer ended up being put, once more, on hold when a hacker turned terrorist began targeting Starling City using a piece of code, a super virus, that Felicity had written during her wild college years.

During their hunt for the culprit Oliver had to come to terms with the fact that Thea was using Malcolm's money to pay for her fancy new loft and to reopen _Verdant_. They had argued, quite a bit, over her taking the man's money. Oliver didn't think it was right and Thea, being Thea, had put her foot down and basically told Oliver to get over it or not bother being part of her life.

When they finally figured out the hacker was Felicity's college boyfriend, Cooper, things in Starling had started to go from bad to worse when Cooper kidnapped Felicity and her mother, Donna, using her mother as leverage to get Felicity to help him hack into the treasury system to transfer millions of dollars. And though Oliver showed up to save her, Felicity proved she had learned something after nearly three years of being part of Oliver's crusade to save the city. She disarmed and pistol whipped Cooper. Saving her mother and herself.

Oliver, seeing Felicity and Donna together, realized that he'd been a bit too judgemental on the Thea front and went, toting a big bag of popcorn and Robbie, to the loft to help her unpack. He was surprised when his sister invited him and Robbie to move in too. Saying the best and easiest way to keep being close was to live under the same roof. Oliver, to make her happy and give Robbie a proper home, happily agreed.

The next crisis to roll into Starling came when someone began murdering criminals in order to frame Ted Grant, a gym owner who, since Sara's death, had been training Laurel to fight. Digging into Grant's past revealed that he had once been a vigilante, Wildcat, seeking to save Starling from the corruption within. Digging even further revealed the real killer to be Isaac Stansler, the man who had worked with Grant during his vigilante days and who Grant had cut loose after it became clear Stansler wouldn't follow the rules he'd set down and was more interested in killing the criminals instead of just stopping them.

Stansler ended up abducting both Laurel and Grant and, thanks to Laurel's quick thinking and Roy's belief in everything Oliver had taught him, Stansler was stopped without any serious harm coming to Laurel or Grant.

During the hunt for Stansler Oliver learned the Roy had been having dreams, flashbacks, to killing someone and believed the victim to have been Sara and he knew he had to help Roy truly remember what had happened. Using a meditation technique he'd learned in China he guided Roy to the truth. The night he'd killed the police officer while under the influence of the Mirakuru. Roy hadn't handled it any better than if it had been Sara and Oliver knew the younger Omega just needed some time and space.

Leaving the foundry Oliver found himself sort of aimlessly walking through the Glades.

He had just neared what had once been the clinic Rebecca Merlyn had run when he caught a scent that had him bristling.

"If you think stalking me is going to win you any points you really should re-evaluate things."

He turned to glare at Malcolm who, dressed in dark clothes and a black motorcycle jacket, looked oddly at home in the Glades.

"I thought it was better than just dropping in on you at the loft you and Thea are sharing."

Oliver growled faintly, gaze narrowing, hands clenching into fists at his sides.

"Now is really not a good time for you to try and play games with me, Merlyn."

Malcolm gave him a nearly unreadable look.

"So it's like that, is it," the Alpha asked softly. "You're my mate and you won't even call me by my given name."

"Keep pushing and I'll call Nyssa and tell her I've changed my mind."

Malcolm huffed. "A hollow threat, Oliver. I know you won't let the League have me."

"To save my sister and daughter?" Oliver gave a cold smile. "I wouldn't be so sure, Merlyn."

"Ra's wouldn't just kill me, Oliver." Malcolm took a small step closer. "He'd torture me first. Make me suffer for dishonouring the League's code. And only after he deemed my suffering enough would he kill me. And you...you would be left with a severed Bond. Could you truly put yourself through that kind of pain again?"

A large part of Oliver knew he couldn't. Going through that again, especially when the Bond was eight years strong, would be excruciating and he just couldn't do it. Not again. But he didn't need to tell Malcolm that. He didn't need the Alpha to know he was too weak to withstand their Bond being broken. So instead he growled and took a threatening step forward, going with bravado and threats rather than the truth.

"How about I call Ra's myself and we'll find out."

Malcolm studied him silently for a moment before he smiled and shook his head.

"You may hate me, Oliver, but I know you better than that. You couldn't kill Slade Wilson and you can't kill me. Not even by proxy."

"You don't know what I'm capable of when it comes to my daughter."

"Our daughter," Malcolm was quick to correct and Oliver growled again. "Do you know how worried I was for Robbie the night of Wilson's siege? How badly I wanted to find her?"

"She was safe."

"Not that safe. I know Wilson abducted her.

"He wouldn't hurt her."

"You don't..."

"I _do_ know that!"

Oliver hadn't meant to shout and, in the silence of the night, it echoed loudly. Malcolm frowned and Oliver rumbled faintly, fighting to keep control of his emotions.

"Slade loves Robbie," the Omega said firmly, certainly, knowing it was true. "Even driven mad by the Mirakuru he loved her. And nothing you, or anyone else, can say will ever convince me otherwise."

"Oliver..."

"He loves her," he growled again, not caring that Malcolm's eyes bore a hint of betrayal, of jealousy. "He has loved her...ever since the day he helped to bring her into the world. He kept her safe in a place that was worse than hell." He sneered at his Alpha. "What have you ever done for her, Merlyn? What have you done but give her a legacy of blood and death?"

"I may not be the father you wish she had," Malcolm replied coldly. "But I _am_ her father. Just as I am Thea's and I love her just as fiercely as I love your sister. As fiercely as I loved Tommy."

Oliver snarled, not even aware he was moving until he fisted his hand in the front of Malcolm's jacket and slammed the Alpha against the nearest building. Getting right in the man's face, growling darkly the entire time, eyes blazing.

"Do not try and use Tommy as an example of your love!" Oliver continued to growl. "You proved just how much you loved him by abandoning him after his mother's murder. By planning and then executing the destruction of part of the Glades. Which resulted in you being directly responsible for his murder."

Malcolm looked absolutely furious but then the rage melted away to reveal pain, grief and guilt.

"Yes, yes I killed my own son. And I nearly killed you. Several times." Malcolm sighed softly. "I've made many mistakes, Oliver, but I'm trying to make up for them. I'm trying to be a better man."

Oliver shook his head. "I don't buy it." He released Malcolm as though touching the Alpha burned him. "You've got an agenda. I know it. And eventually I'll figure it out. It's only for Thea's sake that I haven't let the League have you."

"Oliver..."

"You stay away from me," he growled. "And stay away from my sister and my daughter."

Oliver turned and stormed away.

Stumbling when Malcolm pressed at their Bond, no doubt trying to sooth him, and he snarled as he shoved back, pressing his rage through the Bond, nose burning as blood dripped down his face. He heard Malcolm's sharp intake of breath just before he rounded the corner. 

It didn't feel like the victory he'd thought it would.


	10. Chapter 10

Oliver returned to the loft, finding Robbie curled up on the couch, reading, and he frowned.

"It's late, little bird, what are you still doing up," he asked as he sat on the couch, watching as she put a bookmark in her book, closing it.

"Couldn't sleep," she said softly, setting the book on the coffee table, drawing her knees up to her chest. "The bed's too soft."

"Maybe we can change the mattress or..."

"Or we could just go back to the foundry."

Oliver blinked. "Robbie, the foundry isn't a home and..."

"It was a home. We made it a home." Robbie looked up at him. "Just like the plane."

Oliver drew a deep breath and scooted closer to his little girl, reaching out to wrap his arms around her and pull her into her lap, hugging her close.

"Robbie..." He paused and looked at her, finding she was watching him closely. "Robbie, honey, I know I've...I've expected you to accept a lot...too much maybe...especially lately and I'm sorry."

He pressed a quick kiss to Robbie's temple.

"I'm sorry that...that I can't seem to give you a normal life. I just...I want you to have a real life, little bird. I don't want my life...my work...to be all I give you."

Robbie suddenly drew back, keeping her hands on his shoulders, frowning as she looked up at him.

"I like my life," she said firmly, strongly, giving him a look that reminded him of Shado. "It...It may not be normal but...but it's got good things in it. Like Aunt Felicity and Uncle Diggle and...and Uncle Roy." She reached up and cupped his face between her hands, meeting his gaze head on. "And some bad stuff may have happened but that's _not_ your fault, Daddy. You...You fight to save people. To protect them. When everybody else was just turning their backs you stepped up and did something."

She smiled softly at him. "I wouldn't trade my life for anything, Daddy."

Oliver let out a soft sound, hugging his little girl close, and let out a soft, rumbling sound. He pressed a kiss to her hair and stood, still holding her, which made her giggle, and carried her off to bed. Promising that if she gave living in the loft a chance he'd start teaching her how to use a bow. She hugged him tighter and agreed. The first time he'd seen her smile happily since Sara's death. It gave him a sense of hope. A sense of hope that he wanted to hang onto for as long as he could.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Oliver was woken by his phone and he rolled over, narrowly avoiding squishing Robbie, who'd chosen to sleep in his room rather than her own, and he snatched the phone up and answered it with a bit more growl than he'd intended. "What?"

"Lance just called," Felicity said quickly and he could hear her fingers flying over the keys of her computer. "Apparently there's a dead body dressed up like the Arrow. He needs you there ASAP."

He sighed and rubbed a head over his face. "Text me the address."

He ended the call and, after tucking Robbie in, left the loft as quickly and as quietly as he could.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

He met Lance across town where the body was and was surprised to discover it was Isaac Stansler. Even more surprising, more than his murder or that he was dressed as the Arrow, was that he'd been killed by an archer. An archer who used arrowheads that were shaped like red spades. Oliver didn't know what to make of that.

Taking the arrow he returned to the foundry.

Running tests took hours, he wasn't much for computers even if Felicity claimed an idiot could run her software setup, and, before he knew it, Diggle was walking in.

"Felicity called," the Alpha said, slinging his jacket over the back of a chair. "Somebody dropped Stansler with an arrow and dressed him up to look like you?"

Oliver sighed and examined the arrowhead under a magnifier.

"Hand soldered out of high carbon steel," he mused as he straightened, looking at the arrowhead, noticing the little imperfections. 

"You think it's the same archer who killed Sara?"

Oliver shook his head. "That was different. Stansler was posed. Dressed as a copycat Arrow."

"Guess all the positive publicity has a downside."

Oliver huffed and shook his head. "Doesn't matter the reason we have to find him."

Diggle nodded and started to move, to call Felicity, but stopped when he saw the news report showing on one of the computer screens Oliver had been using. Together they watched as Ray Palmer, Felicity's new boss, announced that he was changing Queen Consolidated to Palmer Technologies. Part of Oliver was furious, both at Palmer and at Felicity, but he turned away, tuning out the report as he crossed back to the table with the arrow, realizing something about those little imperfections in the arrowhead and what it might mean.

Using a hammer he destroyed the arrowhead and, inside of it, found a tiny piece of rolled up paper. Written on the paper was an address. Which led them to an apartment across town.

An apartment that was some sort of creepy shrine to the Arrow. To Oliver.

Looking around the room, refusing to admit that it all made his skin crawl, Oliver realized that the arrowhead wasn't a spade. It was a heart.

They both jerked when a phone suddenly rang.

Oliver put it on speaker phone without a word and he heard a throaty, feminine giggle.

_"It's you,"_ the woman cooed. _"I can't believe it's really you. Did you like your present?"_

Oliver growled, thumbing on his vocal scrambler. "You mean Isaac Stansler? The man you killed?"

_"I see the way you take care of your city,"_ the woman said, completely ignoring his question or the anger in his voice. _"It makes me wonder...who takes care of you? I want to help you. To fight with you. To kill for you. Mr Stansler was just the first. He might be the second."_

A photo came through the phone, a photo of a man wearing a bomb vest and clearly a hostage. Oliver nearly growled as he showed the photo to Diggle.

_"I thought we could punish this one together,"_ the woman practically purred and Oliver couldn't help but growl.

"I'm going to find you."

The woman giggled again. _"Well that's the idea. But you better hurry. I don't think he's got very long."_

Oliver snarled as the woman ended the call and he nearly threw the phone at the wall in frustration.

He and Diggle returned to the foundry with the hope that Felicity's facial recognition software would identify the man in the photo the mystery archer had sent and, while waiting for her to arrive, Oliver found Roy sitting at one of the computers, reading an article about the police officer he'd killed while under the influence of the Mirakuru. Oliver tried talking to the younger Omega, offering to be a friendly ear if Roy wanted to talk, but wasn't surprised when Roy brushed him off just as Felicity walked in.

Oliver watched Roy leave before turning his attention to Felicity.

She managed to identify the archer's hostage as Joe Gravano, a local crime boss wanted by the SCPD for murder and racketeering.

The also managed to see, in the background of the photo, a bag with the insignia NPP. Though it wasn't clear what that was Felicity immediately began searching for it. Proving she was a skilled multi-tasker Felicity informed him that the phone the archer had called him on was heavily encrypted and it would take a bit of time to hack. Which might take even longer since, as she informed him, she had a working dinner with Palmer.

It wasn't jealousy that Oliver felt surge through him but a fierce need to protect Felicity.

It was both his personality and his Omega instincts.

He was the eldest Omega in their group which, naturally, made him protective, sometimes overly so, of the younger members of the group. Meaning Felicity and Roy. It was irrational, he knew, since they both had proven they could take care of themselves, but he couldn't help how he felt.

Felicity, always so perceptive, huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Don't do that," she said as she turned back to the computer, fingers flying over the keys.

"Don't do what?"

"That thing you do when you get all protective and look like you're going to go all psycho killer on someone. My mom used to do that." She paused and looked up at him. "Is that some kind of Omega thing?"

Oliver drew a deep breath. "Alphas are psychically possessive and protective," he said with a shrug. "With Omegas it's more...emotional. It's...It's nothing. A reflex. Forget it."

Felicity let out a disbelieving sound but went back to work on hacking the encryption on the phone and, a couple of hours later she was practically bouncing, having finally cracked it.

The person registered to the SIM card was a Carrie Cutter, a clearly unstable Beta and former SCPD officer named.

Oliver found the woman looked familiar and Felicity, bringing up crime scene photos from the last few months, thought it might be because Carrie had been at nearly every single crime scene the Arrow had investigated. Oliver wasn't certain that was it but it did further serve to give him the creeps.

On top of finding out about Carrie Felicity told him she'd found out what the NPP was. Nitrogen Phosphate Potash. Fertilizer. Using that information Felicity found the closest greenhouse to Carrie's apartment was at 7884 Hauser Street. Oliver asked her to get Roy to meet him there.

While they managed to save Gavano Carrie had escaped.

And Roy blamed himself because Carrie had managed to knock him out without much effort.

Oliver tried to reassure him but the young Omega just stormed off.

Diggle managed to dig up some more information on Carrie Cutter. She'd apparently stalked her partner while working for SCPD. She'd been sent, by the department, to Saint Walker's to see a shrink and she'd quit the force shortly after. Thinking the doctor the department had sent Carrie too might be a target, or have useful information, he went to talk to the woman. The doctor, though frightened by the appearance of the Arrow in her office, told him that Carrie suffered from attachment disorder, the inability to form real, lasting relationships and would push everyone away and fixated on a single person. Someone she felt mirrored her own emotional state. The doctor told him that, as the person Carrie was fixating on, she craved his honesty and sincerity. That if he lied to her she would know it.

Leaving the doctor and returning to the foundry he got a call from Lance.

Carrie had killed Kirby Bates, an old C.I. from her days as a police officer and computer expert. It wasn't clear why she'd killed him and that just served to infuriate Oliver all the more. While Oliver went to check out Bates' place, finding the computers smashed, Diggle convinced Felicity to take a few minutes from her working dinner with Palmer to remotely hack the computer and figure out that Carrie had been looking up a map. A map with _Verdant_ circled.

Oliver got Diggle to patch his comm system through to Carrie's phone and then ordered the Alpha to go up to the club, which was celebrating a grand re-opening, and keep an eye on Thea.

When Carrie answered the call he could hear the heavy bass of the music, the thrum of the crowd and he thumbed on the voice scrambler.

"It's me," he said and he heard her sharp, surprised intake of breath.

_"I have to admit,"_ she cooed. _"I didn't think a club would be your kind of scene. You're always surprising me."_

"I'm not there," he said as he climbed onto his motorcycle, knowing he had to get her away from the club, away from Thea and all those innocent people as quickly as he could.

_"Why don't I believe you?"_

"You want to meet me that's fine," he said, fighting to keep the growl out of his voice. "I will meet you anywhere but that club."

_"So, you're asking me out?"_

He felt like he was talking in circles. It was like dealing with Malcolm only on a totally different level of crazy.

"Where do you want to meet, Carrie?"

_"I know a place,"_ she said, sounding almost giddy. _"Our special spot. But you listen to me, lover, I've been burned before and if you're playing me I promise I'll come back here and kill everyone in this place."_

The call ended and Oliver drew a deep breath, starting the bike and roaring off down the road to meet Carrie where, the night of Slade's siege, he'd saved her from one of Slade's Mirakuru soldiers. He was tense and, as Carrie came around the corner, dressed in the same outfit she'd been wearing at the greenhouse, bow in hand, he tensed even further.

"Hello, lover," she greeted with a smile he huffed faintly.

"I'm not your lover."

She shrugged. "Maybe not yet," she said as she prowled closer. "But after one night with me that will all change. I promise."

"Carrie," he spoke calmly, trying to reason with her. "I'm here to help you because you're not well."

"Don't ever say that again," she said, shaking her head. "You sound like that shrink they sent me to."

"I spoke to her."

"You talked to that psycho?" Carrie looked genuinely surprised and a bit worried but that was quickly masked as she slowly began closing the distance between them. "She just wanted me to take pills. She thinks that love is the disease. But it's not. Love is the cure."

Oliver remembered what the doctor had told him and he sighed softly.

"I'm not the man you think I am," he said softly, watching her for any sudden movements that might signal an attack.

"You are hero," she replied, awe and love filling her voice even as she reached up to cup his cheek. "You saved me."

Without thinking he ensnared her wrist in a firm grip, pushing her back slightly before letting go.

"I understand that you're hurting," he said and he did. He knew what it was like to have your love turn twisted and broken inside of you. To want to reach out to someone, anyone, just to have that pain go away. Just for a little while. "And I know what it's like to want someone but...but not be able to be with them. How you wish things could be different but they can't. I can't be with you. I have to...I have to be alone."

Carrie shook her head, red curls bouncing around her face.

"No, you don't," she growled faintly, drawing an arrow and nocking it to the bow. "You're a liar."

"Wait!" He held up one hand, causing her to still, to watch him, and he slowly rolled up his sleeve, showing off the bite mark just above the crook of his elbow. Her eyes went wide. "I do know, Carrie, what it feels like to not be able to be with someone you love."

Carrie let out a soft sound, looking both angry and hurt at the revelation. "You...You're Bonded?"

"I am." He didn't say that, technically, he was Bonded to three different Alphas. That would have been too much, too hard to explain, but this one he could use to, hopefully, get through to her. "But...But we couldn't be together."

Carrie frowned. "Why not?"

"Because we lost someone we loved. We..." Oliver swallowed passed the lump in his throat. "We lost her son." Carrie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped slightly even as, over the comms, he heard Diggle and Felicity inhale sharply. "After that...we just...we couldn't. We still loved each other but...but the grief...it was just too much. So we went our separate ways."

"But you still love her." Carrie sounding accusing as she spoke but Oliver nodded. "You're still Bonded to her."

"Only death breaks a Bond, Carrie, you know that."

"Why...Why tell me this?"

"Because you thought I was lying. And you deserved the truth about why I can't love you."

Carrie studied him for a moment before she shook her head. "No," she said, practically growling. "No, you're lying. I know you're lying."

She loosed the arrow but she wasn't nearly as skilled as he was with the bow and he easily dodged before firing an arrow of his own to knock her bow from her hand as she was reaching for another arrow.

"I don't want to hurt you," he snapped but she scowled at him, gaze narrowing sharply.

"You already have."

The ensuing fight ended up with Carrie knocking them through a grate and down into a subway tunnel where Carrie managed to handcuff him to the tracks.

"Sorry," she said as she stood, looking down at him as he struggled against the cuff. "But if I can't have you..."

"Carrie, think about this!"

"I didn't want it to end this way, I guess I just don't handle rejection very well."

Oliver shook his head as he felt the tracks start to vibrate. A sign of an approaching train. "You don't have to do this."

Carrie smiled as the whistle blew. "At least this way we can..."

She let out a cry as someone, a man, dressed all in black, suddenly dropped down through the same grate they'd fallen through, striking her, the blows enough to momentarily incapacitate her, knocking her clear of the tracks. Oliver started to move, thinking to break his thumb in order to get free of the cuffs, but the man threw some sort of dart, snapping the chain linking the cuffs, leaping to the opposite side of the tracks even as Oliver dove to where Carrie was, shielding her reflexively as the train roared by.

As he straightened, glancing around for the man, he heard Carrie let out a happy sound. Looking back down at her he saw she was smiling.

"I knew you loved me," she whispered and Oliver had never before been so tempted to hit a woman. Instead he looked around. Searching for the stranger who just saved both of them but whoever it was had disappeared.


	11. Chapter 11

Oliver sat in the foundry, thinking over the fight with Carrie, while Diggle took the less than stable Beta to A.R.G.U.S. since Waller was more than happy to take the woman on for the Suicide Squad. He wasn't really surprised when Felicity, still dressed in her amazing outfit from her dinner with Palmer, walked over to him.

"Hey," she said softly, in that tone of voice that told him she wanted to ask about something but wasn't sure how to or how he'd react to her asking.

He smiled, knowing what it was she wanted to know, and was thankful that Diggle chose then to return so he'd only have to say explain it once.

"You want to know about the woman I'm Bonded to," he said simply, leaning back in his chair, hand reflexively rubbing over the mark through his sleeve. He saw Felicity's surprise, written clear as day on her face, even as Diggle gave a slight nod. He smiled and then sighed.

"During...my time away I wasn't always on the island," he said, though they both knew that. "For a while I was in Hong Kong and...and during my time there I stayed with someone." He unconsciously rubbed the mark again. "Our Bonding...we didn't really plan for it to happen. Hell in the beginning...before we Bonded...she hated me. I was a burden and a risk. To her. To her family. She just wanted me gone."

He smiled as he remembered every insult, every glare. It was, funnily enough, heart warming.

"Even after we Bonded I think I annoyed her. Certainly gave her more reason to worry." He chuckled faintly. "Her husband used to laugh at us both."

"Husband?" Felicity looked from him to Diggle and back again. "As in...married sort of husband or other Omega sort of husband?"

Oliver shook his head. "The first one. He...He was a Beta. A good man. Accepted me as part of his family even though he didn't have to."

Diggle breathed deeply. "You mentioned to Carrie about a son. I'm guessing that it was your Alpha and her husband's son."

He nodded. "Akio." Just saying the boy's name hurt. Reminded him of yet another failure. "He...He died. And we...we all just...fell apart, I guess. I still loved her, and him, but...we all felt guilt for one reason or another and just...it was easier to part ways."

Felicity made a soft, sad sound, reaching out to touch his hand. "I'm so sorry, Oliver," she whispered and he smiled, gripping her hand for a moment.

"I think...I think my Bond with Tatsu was the only one that...that was genuinely real." He smiled sadly. "Everything about it felt...right. Like she and her husband were who I was meant to be with."

Felicity gave his hand a gentle squeeze before he stood, excusing himself, needing some time to himself, feeling suddenly raw.

As he left the foundry he started thinking about the man who'd intervened when Carrie had tried to kill them both. He hadn't told the others about it yet, still not sure what to make of it himself, but the stranger had been dressed like a member of the League of Assassins. Malcolm, most likely. The man had made it clear he was going to do anything to protect those he claimed to love but something in the stranger's movements had been different. Hadn't made Oliver immediately think of Malcolm. But if it wasn't Malcolm it just raised more questions. Questions he couldn't answer without finding the stranger.

Sighing softly he rubbed his hand over his face and, not surprisingly, his thoughts turned to Tatsu and Maseo. Memories rushing to the forefront of his mind.

_He was sitting in the living room of the Yamashiro's apartment, trying to make sense of the language book he was reading, when Tatsu walked in, kicking him in the shin._

_"Ow," he grunted, rubbing at his shin, looking up at her. "What was that for?"_

_"Come," she said, nodding towards the kitchen. "You will not be useless. You can help me make dinner."_

_He sighed and tossed his book down before standing and following after her. He proved that, much like doing laundry, he knew very little about cooking but Tatsu was a very patient person. She showed him what to do and guided his hands when it was clear he was doing something wrong and all the while she had this little amused smile gracing her face._

_"How does an Omega not know how to do these things," she mused once they had the meat in the oven and Oliver couldn't help but laugh._

_"I was a spoiled brat, remember?"_

_Tatsu hummed softly but before she could respond a soft cry sounded from the other room. Robbie's cry. Oliver reflexively started to move, to go to his daughter, but heard movement in the other room and then Maseo's quiet voice, speaking in Japanese, and he smiled as Robbie's cries slowly faded and gave way to soft giggles. He smiled as Maseo came walking into the room, carrying Robbie, who clung happily to him, smiling brightly._

_Maseo grabbed the sippy-cup from the fridge and offered it to Robbie, the toddler happily accepting it, and Tatsu shook her head._

_"You'll spoil her dinner," the Alpha said as Maseo sat at the table, still holding Robbie, grinning a bit._

_"She can have a bit of juice," was the Beta's reply and Tatsu huffed, turning to stir the vegetables while shaking her head. Oliver grinned as Akio came racing into the room, the boy skidding to a halt at the look his mother gave him, going over to his father, taking Robbie when she eagerly reached for him. The pair had become inseparable and Robbie often looked for Akio when she woke from her naps or when he was at school._

_As Akio talked to Robbie, telling her about the park and how maybe they could go there after school on Friday, Oliver leaned against the counter._

_When he'd fist come into the Yamashiro household he'd felt like such an outsider, had fought so hard to get away, to get him and Robbie back to Starling, but now it felt like home. Felt like he was part of a family again. More so than it had with Slade and Shado. It felt solid. Felt real. He unconsciously rubbed at the mark on his arm, still sore and new, and was somewhat surprised when Maseo suddenly stood, crossing the room to wrap his arm around Oliver's waist, nuzzling at the Omega's neck._

_The gesture was comforting and Oliver rumbled softly, almost purring, and Tatsu smiled as she glanced at them. She reached over, running her hand down Oliver's arm even as her presence flared warm and lovingly through their Bond. He breathed deeply and felt content and happy and just prayed that it lasted this time._

Oliver blinked and the memory faded, the empty places filling up with the memories of what had happened, what had come after all the good. The loss and grief. Shaking his head he turned, realizing he was in the alley behind _Verdant_ , and slowly made his way back into the foundry. Finding Diggle and Felicity both gone, a note left by Diggle inviting him to a late dinner with him and Lyla laying on the table, and was just debating going home when Roy walked in.

The younger Omega looked at him, no doubt seeing the whirlwind of emotions in his face, and slowly approached, concern etched deep in his eyes.

"Are you okay?"

Oliver sighed as he leaned against one of the tables. He knew talking about Tatsu, remembering her and Maseo and Akio, would open old wounds. Wounds that had never truly healed. He just hadn't expected it to hurt quite so much. He slowly shook his head.

"Not really," he admitted as Roy walked over to where he was standing. "What about you?"

Roy gave a humourless smirk and shook his head.

"Not really."

Oliver nodded and reached up to touch Roy's shoulder, steering him towards the exit. "Come on," he said and Roy frowned curiously.

"Where are we going?"

"For something we both need."

They swung by the loft, picking up Robbie, before heading over to Diggle and Lyla's. The pair welcomes them warmly and with open arms. Like a family. And it felt good. Felt right. Reminded Oliver why he fought the way he did.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Across from the apartment owned by John Diggle and Lyla Michaels a man stood in the shadows, watching, through the window, as Oliver Queen sat and laughed with his friends. The man smiled. Relieved that he had managed to intervene in time to save the protector of the city. Part of him still whispered that he should have killed the red haired Beta. She posed a risk, to Queen, to others, but his orders had been to watch and, should the need arise, intervene to protect the Omega.

The phone tucked into his belt vibrated and he answered while still watching Queen.

"Sir?"

_"What news, Sayad?"_

"Queen acquired a stalker with a rather twisted and lethal mindset."

A momentary pause. _"Have you dealt with the stalker?"_

"Queen did. She's now part of the Wall's task force."

_"And Oliver Queen?"_

"Unharmed." He smirked as he watched Queen's daughter launch herself at the man's young Omega friend. "He is currently enjoying some quality time with his friends and daughter. A welcome reprieve, I would say. Should I continue my mission?"

_"If he is safe for the time being I would have you turn your attention to the list I have sent you. I want those men dealt with, Sayad."_

"Shall they be dealt your justice, sir, or shall I hand them over to the city's police force?"

_"For now you will hand them over to the police force but, should that prove ineffective, give them our justice. I want this handle discretely, Sayad. And quickly. Then you will return to keeping watch over Oliver Queen."_

"Yes, sir."

The call ended and Sayad gave Queen a final look, smiling when he found the Omega was cradling the daughter of his Alpha friend. He knew, from his checking into those who the Omega called friend, that the baby had been named in honour of Ta-er al-Sahfer. It warmed his heart to know the woman he had called friend would live on in the hearts of those who had loved her.

Pulling his hood up, tugging his mask back into place, he turned and disappeared into the darkness. His master had given him a task to tend to and he would see it done before returning to keep vigil over Oliver Queen.


	12. Chapter 12

After a body was dropped in Starling City, the murder weapon strangely being a boomerang, Oliver, Diggle and Felicity headed to Central City, chasing down a lead.

It meant working alongside Barry who, in Oliver's opinion, was lucky he hadn't ended up dead yet. It was like Barry wasn't taking his crusade to protect and save his own city seriously. Like it was all some sort of game. Though Barry and Felicity were eager to team up Oliver was wary. He'd seen, firsthand, how Barry operated and it worried him. He didn't want to risk his friend, or himself, getting hurt, or killed, because Barry treated all of this like a joke.

In the end though they did end up teaming up to take down Barry's meta-human, Roy Bivolo, who could induce a rage like state just by looking someone in the eye.

Unfortunately Bivolo managed to, to quote Cisco, whammy Barry and the young Beta ended up attacking Eddie Thawne, a cop and partner of his foster dad, Joe West. And when Oliver intervened Barry's anger turned on him. Their fight was fierce and Oliver wasn't certain how much longer he could hold out when Joe and Wells showed up, using a machine with flashing colors to cancel out what Bivolo had done to Barry.

Once Barry was back to himself Oliver helped him to take Bivolo down. Locking him up in Barry's pipeline prison.

While at S.T.A.R. Labs Felicity asked Caitlin if she could isolate and identify the DNA they'd found on the arrows used to kill Sara and Caitlin of course agreed. Telling her that as soon as they found anything they'd let her know.

Before they left Central City Oliver ended up, rather unexpectedly, running into an old girlfriend. A sweet Omega named Sandra Hawke. But everyone, Oliver included, had called her Moonday. They talked, briefly, and Oliver caught the faintest scent of a child beneath the sweetness of her perfume. Despite her words of being happy to see him he saw the flicker of worry in her eyes but dismissed it as, considering how they'd broken up, just nerves.

Returning to Starling City Oliver picked Robbie up from Lyla and headed for home, only to head to the park to meet Laurel when she called. While Robbie ran around, playing, he sat on a bench waiting for Laurel. He didn't wait long.

"Hey," he said as she approached, carrying a file of some kind. "What's going on?"

"Is Merlyn beating up criminals and dropping them off at my father's station?"

Oliver blinked at her question, or rather her demand, and he didn't quite know what to make of it.

"What?"

Laurel handed him the file. "Someone took down six crime bosses in the last few days. They all described pretty much the same thing. An archer. All in black. My father thought at first the blows to the head had rattled their ability to tell color but one of them had a note pinned to his chest with a dart."

Oliver looked through the file and found a photograph of the note. He frowned.

"Is that Arabic?" 

He looked up at her and she nodded.

"One of the techs translated it to mean _the hunters have become the hunted_." She crossed her arms over her chest. "So is it Merlyn?"

Oliver closed the file and sighed.

"Honestly, Laurel, I wouldn't know." He glanced to where Robbie was playing with a few other kids. "I told him to stay away and...and he seems to be doing just that."

"But is it possible? Maybe it's his...his twisted way of trying to get back into your good graces."

Oliver sighed again. "I don't know, Laurel." It wasn't something he liked admitting. "But I'll find out."

"Oliver..."

"Let me handle it, Laurel."

"Like you handled finding Sara's killer?"

Oliver stiffened and Laurel immediately looked ashamed.

"I'm sorry," she said hurriedly, reaching out and lightly touching his arm. "I'm sorry that...God I don't know why I said that."

"It's fine."

She shook her head. "No, no it's not. You don't...You're not to blame..."

Before she could say anything else Robbie came rushing back over, saying something about being hungry and Oliver smiled. "How about Big Belly Burgers," he asked and Robbie nodded, asking Laurel if she wanted to come to but Laurel politely declined, saying she had to get back to work.

"I'll check into this, Laurel," Oliver said before his friend could walk away. "I promise."

Laurel nodded and Oliver led Robbie off to get his little girl something to eat. While Robbie ate Oliver read through the file Laurel had given him. There wasn't much as far as evidence. Only the note that had been pinned to one man's chest and the statements from the men themselves but he could understand why Laurel assumed it was Malcolm. Everything did seem to hint at it. But the note left by the strange vigilante didn't speak of Malcolm to him. It was too bold. Especially since Malcolm was trying to lay low. To keep people from learning he was still alive.

Whoever this newcomer was Oliver was beginning to doubt it was Malcolm.

That didn't mean he wasn't going to talk to Malcolm.

He needed to be absolutely certain.

Once Robbie had finished eating Oliver dropped her off at the loft, telling her he'd be back in a little while and went to a rooftop in the Glades, calling the number that had mysterious showed up in his phone shortly after that first meeting with Malcolm.

_"Oliver,"_ the Alpha greeted warmly. _"To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"_

Oliver huffed and rolled his eyes. "We need to meet. Now."

_"Is it Robbie? Has something..."_

"My daughter is fine. This is about something else. Now are you going to meet me or do I have to track you down?"

There was a momentary pause before Malcolm spoke again. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."

The Alpha was true to his word and, approximately twenty minutes later, was stepping through the roof access door.

"Oliver," Malcolm greeted with a slight nod and Oliver drew a deep breath. "What is it you needed to talk to me about? You made it fairly clear you wanted me to keep my distance."

Oliver held up a photo from Laurel's file, one showing the crime bosses tied up outside of the police station.

"Is this your doing?"

Malcolm took the photo and studied it for a moment. "As much as I would love to claim credit for this just so that I might impress you with my turning over a new leaf," he said as he handed the photo back. "I'm afraid I you are barking up the wrong tree."

Oliver folded the photo and tucked it back into his pocket. "There was a note left with one of the men," he said as he studied Malcolm's body language. "It said _the hunters have become the hunted_. It was written in Arabic."

Malcolm frowned and his shoulders stiffened slightly.

"Arabic? You're certain?"

"Techs at SCPD identified it."

Malcolm's frown deepened. "I'm honestly not certain what to make of that. Though I still don't understand why you would think I'm responsible."

"Because two weeks ago I was nearly killed by a crazy stalker and was saved by someone dressed like a member of the League and those crime bosses all reported the same thing. An archer clad in black."

"You were...Are you alright?" Malcolm started to step towards him, reaching for him, and Oliver growled, making the Alpha stop and scowl. "You can't tell me you almost died and not expect me to be concerned, Oliver."

"I didn't tell you for your damn concern, Merlyn," Oliver growled in response. "I need to be certain that you're not the one running around acting like a dark guardian angel and turning crime bosses into the police."

"Even if I were, Oliver, would that really be such a bad thing?"

Part of Oliver wanted to say no. But he pushed that part down. That was the part of him that still believed in the Alpha. The part of himself that he couldn't trust.

"If you want to run around the city playing hero, Merlyn, that's your business," he growled faintly. "But when it starts to involve me, to involve the Arrow, then I'm not just going to look the other way."

"Oliver..."

"If you know anything about this, or even have an inkling about what is going on, you're going to tell. Now. Before it gets out of hand."

Malcolm gave him a gentle look.

"I swear, Oliver, that I don't know who this man is or why he's doing what he's doing."

Oliver regarded Malcolm for a moment, deeming how truthful the Alpha was being, before slowly nodding and heading towards the access door.

He was surprised when Malcolm suddenly caught his arm.

"Oliver, wait, please. I..."

Oliver would have liked to say his response was instinct but it wasn't. Gripping Malcolm's forearm he moved, quickly, slamming the Alpha into the wall next to the roof access door, snarling as he got right in the man's face.

"You don't get to act like my Alpha anymore, is that clear," he growled, twisting Malcolm's arm in a clear display of force, the message clear, move and he'd break bones. "You made your choice two years ago. When you chose your precious Undertaking, your revenge, over your family."

"Oliver..."

Oliver twisted his grip, just a bit, but it was enough to make Malcolm hiss in pain. He knew the Alpha could have fought him off but Malcolm remained still. Why he did was beyond Oliver but, in that moment, he didn't care.

"You do not have a mate anymore. We may still share a Bond but you are no different to me than Slade Wilson. We are nothing. Not anymore. So, for the sake of your health, I highly recommend getting that through your thick, Alpha skull."

Oliver started to release Malcolm, planning on letting that be the end of it, but Malcolm took him by surprise by surging forward, capturing his lips in a kiss.

It was a soft, chaste kiss compared to ones they'd shared before and for a moment Oliver leaned into the Alpha, accepting the kiss, even returning it. Malcolm's free hand lifted and cupped his cheek, thumb rubbing a gentle circle over his skin and Oliver rumbled softly.

But then reality came crashing back in and Oliver tore himself away from Malcolm as though the Alpha had burned him.

"Don't," Oliver growled, shaking, hands clenched tightly at his sides. "Don't ever...Don't ever touch me again."

"Oliver..."

Oliver snarled and rushed from the roof, ignoring when Malcolm called to him again, needing to get as far from the Alpha as he could.


	13. Chapter 13

Oliver did his best to put all thoughts of Malcolm from his mind.

Instead he devoted his time and concentration to finding the man who murdered people using custom made boomerangs and the mysterious archer who had rounded up three drug dealers and left them on the police station doorstep. While he had little to no luck tracking the mystery archer they did get a lead on the boomerang killer.

With some help from Caitlin and Cisco they tracked him to a house in Starling City but they just missed the man. While at the house he and Roy were confronted by A.R.G.U.S. soldiers who confirmed the man killed a week earlier had been a A.R.G.U.S. agent and though one of the soldiers told them to let it go they both knew they couldn't. Not when the killer had killed someone in Starling and was likely looking to kill more people.

Despite A.R.G.U.S.'s attempts to wipe all evidence of their agent Felicity managed to find his name. Kai Wu. Knowing they only had one lead to follow on that front Diggle went to talk to Lyla, to see what she could tell him.

When Cisco and Caitlin showed up everyone was surprised but Oliver took it in stride, even if Cisco's constant need to touch things was going to give him a heart attack out of fear for the younger man's safety, knowing Barry likely wouldn't be far behind his friends and teammates.

When Oliver received a call from Diggle about an attack on an A.R.G.U.S. facility, the facility where Lyla worked, Oliver and Roy suited up and headed out. During the fight with the man Oliver was nearly hit with two boomerangs but, thankfully, Caitlin had called Barry and he showed up in the nick of time. Unfortunately their suspect managed to escape. After Barry beat a speedy exit Oliver demanded answers from Lyla and, though shaken by the all out attack against her and her fellow agents, she gave those answers.

"His name is Digger Harkness," she said, looking from Diggle to Oliver. "Former A.S.I.S. His specialty was weapons and technology before he went rogue. He started selling his services to the highest bidder. We caught him three years ago."

Roy huffed. "Looks like he escaped."

"Not exactly," Lyla said with a shake of her head. "Harkness' skills made him an ideal recruit for Task Force X."

Diggle gave a humourless chuckle. "You mean the Suicide Squad."

Lyala nodded.

"They had an op in Tanzania. Assassination of a local warlord. But the warlord had bigger guns, the mission went south and the team had to be sanitized."

"You mean killed, Lyla," Diggle rumbled, clearly upset to hear that, especially since he'd worked with some of the newest recruits to the Suicide Squad the year before.

Lyla sighed heavily. "Waller couldn't be reached," she said, looking from her ex-husband to Oliver. "It was my call. The micro bomb in Harkness' neck must have malfunctioned."

"We need to consider that every A.R.G.U.S. facility is compromised," Oliver said calmly even though he was deeply worried about Lyla, especially since Harkness had been clearly targeting her. "There's only one place we can keep you safe."

They took Lyla to the foundry where Barry ended up revealing his secret identity, thinking Diggle had told her about him. While Lyla tried to process Barry's super speed Oliver pulled the younger man aside to try and convince him, gently, to go back to Central City but, again, against his better judgement he agreed to team up with Barry but he made it clear they would be doing things his way.

Barry reassembled Harkness' exploding boomerangs and Cisco managed to identify a collapsible node design as the signature of Klaus Markos. Felicity managed to use his name to find that, though there was no listed home or work addresses he had been arrested a year ago by Lance. Barry, used his position in the CCPD, managed to convince Lance that he was working a case that involved Markos and from the Captain of the SCPD they got information that Markos had been working for the Bratva.

They found Markos hiding out at a Bratva warehouse and, after torturing him, Oliver managed to get him to give up an encrypted phone Harkness had apparently given him so he could contact the man with fresh orders of boomerangs. Barry zipped Markos off to the police station and returned practically in the blink of an eye, finding Oliver still looking over the phone.

"Felicity should be able to use this to track down Harkness," Oliver said as he turned to face Barry, who was looking at him like he suddenly didn't know who he was.

"You tortured that guy," Barry said and Oliver knew that the younger man didn't approve. It was why he hadn't wanted them to work together. Barry wouldn't, couldn't possibly, understand.

"I interrogated him," Oliver replied calmly even though, deep down, he knew Barry was right. But he'd spent years learning that sometimes in interrogation and torture were one and the same. Barry scoffed and shook his head.

"When my friends said your tactics made you a criminal I defended you because I thought you were supposed to be a hero," Barry said as he stepped towards him. "I thought we were supposed to be better than them."

"Barry," Oliver shook his head. "You live in Central City, where it's sunny all the time and your enemies get cute nicknames, you're not in Central City."

"Yeah," Barry said with a slight growl and Oliver huffed angrily.

"I live in a city where my best friend was murdered, by his own father, my Alpha. Where a woman that I loved was shot full of arrows and sent tumbling off of a rooftop. Where my mother was murdered right in front of me by my other Alpha! So before you..."

"My mother was murdered in front of me too," Barry said, sounding so calm, and Oliver saw the flicker of pain and grief in his friend's eyes. "But I don't use my personal tragedies as an excuse to just torture whoever pisses me off."

"Well I'm sorry, Barry, I'm not as emotionally healthy as you are."

Barry let out a low sound as Oliver stepped by him, spinning round to look at him. "What is wrong with you?"

"When we argued that you were staying," Oliver rumbled, looking back at the younger man. "We decided that it would be on my terms. If that is proving too difficult for you, you know your way back to Central City."

They returned to the foundry and waited, less than patiently, for Felicity to hack the encryption on Harkness' phone. Oliver paced until Lyla stepped up to him, they talked quietly about how some people just couldn't see that sometimes, when people went to extremes then extreme measures had to be taken to stop them. He was glad that someone understood that too.

Felicity finally managed to hack the phone and gave them an address on Harkness. Unfortunately Harkness had anticipated them getting his phone and had set up a diversion, and while they were chasing his shadow across town, Harkness managed to track his phone to the foundry and attacked Lyla. Though she fought with everything she had Harkness managed to hit her with one of his boomerangs before Felicity threw one of Oliver's exploding arrowheads at him, forcing him to flee the foundry.

Felicity and Caitlin managed to stabilize Lyla long enough for Barry to get back to the foundry and then whisk her off to the hospital. Oliver, of course, blamed himself for the attack and Lyla being hurt but Barry, always looking on the brighter side, always able to see the good, told him that he wasn't losing pieces of his humanity by being the Arrow but that it was his humanity that kept him from falling into the darkness being the Arrow had created.

Using facial recognition Felicity managed to track Harkness down to the train station and Oliver and Barry went to confront the man. To stop him before he could get away. Barry used his speed to clear the platform of innocent civilians before zipping both himself and Oliver in front of Harkness.

"You hurt a friend of mine," Oliver growled, aiming an arrow at Harkness. "Do you really think there is anywhere in the world you can run that we won't find you?"

Harkness chuckled. "Probably not," he admitted, grinning. "Which is why I have a contingency in place." He pressed a button on a device he held, showing it to them. "Five bombs. Planted through Starling. Now, you can stop me or you can stop the bombs, but you can't do both."

Oliver growled faintly, wanting so desperately to let his arrow fly, to just put Harkness down but he was willing to be that somewhere on the man there was a dead man's switch that would automatically trigger the bombs.

"The bombs are armed," Harkness informed them. "In ninety seconds this city will be on fire."

Oliver barely glanced at Barry as he ordered the younger man to go. A gust of wind blew across the platform as Barry raced off to try and stop the bombs.

With a low sound Oliver loose his arrow but Harkness was well trained. He blocked two arrows and launched one of his exploding boomerangs at Oliver who barely managed to dodge in time. They engaged in hand to hand, again Harkness proved how skilled he was, and Oliver grunted as the Australian Omega landed a well aimed blow, knocking him off his feet.

"Pity," Harkness mused, looking down at him, boomerang in hand. "I was hoping you'd put up more of a fight."

He started to move, the intent to drive the blade of the boomerang into Oliver's chest more than clear, but the boomerang was suddenly knocked from his grasp by a black arrow. Harkness spun quickly and Oliver followed his gaze, finding the black clad archer, the one dressed like a member of the League standing just several feet away. Harkness snarled and attacked, giving Oliver time to get to his feet, launching himself at the man's back.

Together he and the dark archer moved more than a match for Harkness and standing side by side they each fired arrows to pin the man to one of the platform columns. Thankfully Barry, with help from Felicity, Roy, Caitlin and Cisco, managed to defuse the bombs and Oliver watched the smug look on Harkness' face slip away as he realized his bombs hadn't exploded when they should have.

"You think you've accomplished something here," Harkness asked, a faint growl in his voice. "You think you not killing me makes you strong? It just means you're weak."

"It means," Oliver said as he heard the rush of air signalling Barry's return. "I still have some humanity left."

He started to turn, missing when Harnkess reached for one of his boomerangs, but the dark archer fired an arrow, knocking the boomerang from the man's hand and effectively pinning said hand to the column. Oliver jerked reflexively and looked at the other archer.

"Who are you," he demanded with a deep growl, grip tightening on his bow even as Barry edged closer, ready to jump in and fight with him if needed.

The dark archer was of a similar height with Malcolm but, up close, Oliver could see and scent the subtle difference. Where Malcolm was broad and solidly built this man was leaner, even with the bulk of his clothing it was easy to spot in the way he carried himself. As for his scent it was undeniably Omega. He didn't try to hide it. When he chuckled Oliver rumbled faintly.

"I am a dark guardian," the man said and his voice was deep, made rough by his mask. "Tasked with watching over you."

"Tasked by who?"

"Someone who has deemed you worthy of my protection."

"You attacked those criminals." Oliver took a small step forward. "Why?"

"Because it was ordered of me. To help make your work even the slightest bit simpler."

Oliver growled. "Who are you? And who sent you?"

Even with the mask hiding his face Oliver could tell the man was smiling.

"As I said," the man said as he stepped back. "I am a guardian. As for who sent me, you will learn that soon enough."

Oliver opened his mouth to speak again but the man dropped a smoke pellet, blinding both him and Barry and, as the smoke cleared, revealed nothing but empty space where the archer had been standing. Oliver growled and Barry made a snarky comment about ninjas before Oliver darted Harkness with a tranquilizer and had Barry transport him to the A.R.G.U.S. prison on Lian Yu. Returning the foundry Oliver couldn't help but startle Cisco slightly as the younger man was making some comment about the Arrow team being more fun if they would just realize they were working under a night club.

Cisco jumped and gave a sheepish grin. "You guys take care of business?"

Oliver nodded. "Digger Harkness is now cellmates with one Slade Wilson."

"We've got a pipeline," Barry said with a somewhat jealous grin. "He's got a gorgeous tropical island."

"With landmines," Felicity commented, earning questioning looks from Barry, Caitlin and Cisco and a disbelieving one from Oliver. "It's a long story," she added and waved them off before looking at Oliver. "So what is this about you having another creeper archer stalker?"

Oliver gave Barry a look that had the younger man scampering away from him before he sighed.

"It's the same guy who saved me when Carrie Cutter tried to have me run over by a subway train," he admitted, leaning back against a table. "I just have no idea why he seems so intent on helping me."

"And protecting you," Barry added, earning another sharp look for his trouble. "I mean...the guy was like a freaking ninja."

Felicity frowned. "You think Nyssa sent him?"

"After the fiasco with...well...you know...I serious doubt she's sending help of any kind. Not to me at least."

"I'll see if I can't track him down," Felicity said with a faint smile. "Can't be that many places in Starling for a sneaky ninja archer to hide."

Oliver didn't tell her it would be a waste of time, he knew it would help keep her calm about the whole situation and the conversation was quickly turned when Cisco gave him a new jacket with a special kevlar weave that made it lighter but capable of carrying more gear. The hood was the same old hood, Felicity had refused to let Cisco change it due to the sentimental value she knew it held for Oliver and Oliver smiled, brightly, happily, as he thanked the younger man.

While Caitlin and Cisco headed back to Central City Oliver and Barry decided, just for the heck of it, to see who would win in a fight between them. It had been a source of friendly banter ever since they took down Bivolo and, meeting in a nearby abandoned warehouse, the squared off. 

The results of their little match never left the warehouse.


	14. Chapter 14

Things in Starling seemed to slow down after they'd dealt with Digger Harkness.

Something Oliver was grateful for.

It gave him more time to spend with Thea and Robbie and, though he kept an eye out for the mysterious archer but the man was well trained and, though he continued dropping criminals off at the police station, Oliver never saw him after that night with Harkness. He tried not to be too worried by that but until he knew who the archer was and who had ordered him to watch over Oliver he likely would feel fully at ease again.

One morning, as he was coming down the stairs in the loft, he heard Thea call to him from the kitchen.

"Oh, Ollie, there's something on the counter for you. It was dropped off yesterday."

He frowned as he walked into the kitchen, seeing the box sitting the counter. "Who delivered it?"

"Some UPS guy, wasn't any return address or a name though," she said as she turned, placing a plate full of pancakes in front of Robbie, who was sitting in one of the bar stool chairs at the counter, gazing curiously at the package. When she saw how Oliver just stood and looked at the thing Thea chuckled and rolled her eyes, pushing it towards him. "Just open it already."

Robbie giggled even as Oliver rolled his eyes but did as his sister said and opened the box. Inside he found one of those black jewellery boxes and frowned. Carefully lifting the little box from the packaging, which he set on the floor out of the way, he saw Thea's curiosity written clear as day on her face even as Robbie frowned while regarding the little box.

Slowly opening the jewellery box he was surprised by what he found.

Inside was a ring. Silver and beautiful and well crafted with an intricate design etched along the band.

It wasn't the first fancy and expensive thing he'd received in recent weeks. First a black leather Belstaff jacket. Then a pair of handmade Italian motorcycle boots. After that there had been the cologne from Paris and the tickets to the Cirque du Soleil show Robbie had so badly wanted to see. And then there had been the custom arrowheads specially crafted to never dull no matter how many times he used them. It was all becoming more and more worrisome and with each new gift Oliver did his best not to completely freak out.

Thea let out a soft whistle.

"Somebody's certainly trying to make an impression," she teased and Oliver gave a soft laugh, looking at her and then the ring.

"Don't know anyone who'd go to that much effort," he said, grinning a bit, snapping the box shut, even as his mind began turning.

Was this Malcolm's doing? Was the Alpha still trying to make things better between them?

Sighing he shook his head, leaning over and kissing Robbie's forehead. "I gotta go," he said with a grin. "Lyla will be here by eight to pick you up and after Diggle and I are finished with our shopping I'll pick you up and we'll spend the rest of the day together, okay?"

Robbie nodded. "M'kay, Daddy."

Oliver smiled at her and hurried off, ignoring Thea's continued teasing about the ring, fishing his phone from his pocket once he left the loft. He dialled Malcolm's number as he neared the elevator. When the call connected he didn't give the Alpha time to speak before he was growling. "Whatever you're trying to do by sending me gifts I want it to stop."

He didn't give Malcolm a chance to reply before ending the call and heading out.

He had to meet Diggle at the foundry so that they could go Christmas shopping together. Apparently Diggle needed help not going overboard with Sara's first Christmas though Oliver doubted he'd be much help in that department. Especially since he'd already bought the baby the biggest teddy bear he could find and outfitted it with a little green hooded jacket. But he supposed, as Diggle best friend, it was his duty to at least pretend to try and keep his friend from going overboard. He was sure Lyla would appreciate it.

By the time they were finished shopping it was later than either man had anticipated and, though Robbie was a tad grumpy that they didn't get to spend the day together like he'd promised, Lyla's home cooking and chocolate cake for desert went a long way to improving Robbie's mood. The mood however took another turn when Felicity texted Oliver to let him know she'd found a petty robber than they'd been hunting the last two days. Robbie stayed with Diggle and Lyla while he went to deal with the robber.

Dropping the man off at the station for Lance Oliver was glad it hadn't taken long, wanting to get back so he could pick up Robbie and head home to meet Thea, who had said something the day before about decorating the loft together.

Unfortunately, as it often happened, his plans went sides.

This time when he was attacked and abducted by members of the League.

He was hauled to some warehouse and presented to Nyssa, who definitely did not look happy to be there.

"Nyssa," he groaned as he climbed to his feet. "We agreed..."

"To nothing," she cut him off, gaze fierce and hard. "My father merely decided to give you the time to bring Sara's killer to justice and you have failed."

"We are doing everything that we can," he growled and Nyssa shook her head, knowing better.

"You've been distracted protecting the city. And you've exhausted my father's patience." She regarded him for a moment. "In civilizations passed when someone in the village was murdered the League would come and kill fifty people a day until the true criminal was rooted out. Find and deliver the one who killed Ta-er al-Sahfer. You have forty-eight hours or the citizens of Starling will see what the League of Assassins is capable of."

Oliver shook his head, unable to believe what he was hearing from her.

"You're going to slaughter innocent people."

"The cleansing of Starling City will fall to Sarab," Nyssa said nodding to the man standing off to her left and, as the man removed his mask, Oliver felt like he'd been kicked in the gut.

Sarab was, in fact, Maseo Yamashiro.

"Maseo?" Oliver couldn't believe what he was seeing but Maseo merely looked at him coldly.

"Maseo is no longer," was the icily reply from the man who, still, held a piece of Oliver's heart. "As she said, I am Sarab."

"Deliver Sara's killer," Nyssa said, drawing Oliver's attention back to her. "Or blood will flow in your streets."

"Nyssa," Oliver growled as Nyssa turned and started to walk away. "This isn't what Sara would want!"

Nyssa snarled as she whirled back around. Seemingly more Alpha than Omega in that moment.

"Sara is dead," she snarled at him, eyes blazing with her fury and grief. "It's time you remember that."

She turned and left, followed by the members of the League, leaving Oliver to stand there in shock.


	15. Chapter 15

Oliver returned to the foundry, calling the others in, and explained what Nyssa had demanded and what the price would be if he failed. While Felicity worked to try and get Caitlin to work faster with finding the DNA on the arrows that had killed Sara Diggle stated the obvious, that if they couldn't find the killer then they needed a contingency plan. But Oliver didn't have one. He had no idea how to stop Nyssa, how to stop the League, from killing innocent people if they didn't get what they wanted.

And seeing Maseo again, after nearly five years, had his emotions bouncing all over the place. He wasn't ready to deal with that yet so he pushed it aside. Focusing instead on the task at hand. Forty-eight hours to find a killer they hadn't managed to find in over two months.

Thankfully within a few hours Felicity had the results of Caitlin's tests but running the results through the SCPD database, searching for a match, did not yield the answer they were hoping for.

According to the results the DNA on the arrows was Oliver's.

Diggle tried to suggest it was a mistake but the results showed a twelve out of thirteen STR match. The odds of it being a mistake were impossible.

"Someone's setting you up, Oliver," Diggle said and Oliver barely resisted the urge to growl.

"Someone with a vested interest in pitting me against the League of Assassins," he rumbled, shaking his head. "Malcolm. It has to be Malcolm Merlyn."

Diggle frowned. "Merlyn was in Corto Maltese with Thea when this was going down."

"Unless he wasn't," Oliver reasoned. "He hid successfully for two years from the police and from the League so he's good at covering his tracks."

"So we uncover them," Felicity said, fingers flying over the keyboard. "But it may take some time."

"In less than forty-eight hours the League is going to murder fifty people," Oliver said, shaking his head. "We don't have time."

He growled and slammed his fist into the nearest table, making Felicity jump and Diggle rumble his name.

"I should have let Nyssa take him," he growled, hand throbbing painfully. "I should have let her kill him. Should have...hell...I should have killed him myself."

"Oliver, you couldn't have known..." Diggle started but Oliver quickly cut him off.

"Yes, I could have." Oliver turned to look at his friend. "Nyssa said it herself, Merlyn is a killer. He knew that by killing Sara he could draw me in, force me to confront the League in order to protect the people of Starling." He growled faintly. "He lied to my face. Again. And now he's using me."

Oliver, waiting for Felicity to find anything she could on Malcolm's whereabouts when Sara had been killed, took his frustration out on one of the training dummies until, finally, she shouted that she'd found something. She found, via A.R.G.U.S. monitoring of flights in and out of Corto Maltese, a private chartered flight from the island to Starling. A flight that landed in the city the night before Sara's murder.

Threatening the pilot of that flight got them security footage from the airfield where Malcolm had landed. Felicity checked the footage for the seventh of October, the day the flight had landed in Starling, and what she found was that Malcolm hadn't flown into Starling alone. Thea had been with him.

"I thought you said Merlyn was keeping his distance, no contact," Diggle said as Oliver began pacing.

"He lied," Oliver said, tone saying what he didn't. _Big surprise there_. He huffed angrily. "And so did she."

"Maybe there's something we should consider," the Alpha said, looking from the security footage to Oliver. "Maybe it wasn't your DNA, Oliver. Maybe it was Thea's. You're siblings, there would be overlap, maybe even enough to..."

"You really think my sister is capable of murdering someone?"

"Malcolm Merlyn is her father," Roy said with a slight shrug and Oliver growled faintly before Felicity spoke up.

"I hate to even say this," she said with a heavy sigh. "Oliver," she stood from her chair, stepping towards him. "I know how much you love your sister but we have to look at the facts. The virtual autopsy I did shows that the trajectory wasn't consisted with that of an archer of average height."

"So it's possible someone of Thea's size could be responsible," Diggle surmised and Oliver let out an angry, disbelieving sound.

He didn't want to even entertain the idea that it was possible. He didn't want to believe his sister had killed Sara. But the evidence was right in front of him. It was screaming at him. Drawing a deep breath he quickly changed from his Arrow gear into his street clothes. He needed to have a conversation with his sister concerning the fact that she'd been lying to him about Malcolm ever since she'd come home. After that he'd try to wrap his mind around the fact that maybe, just maybe, she'd killed Sara because, as much as he wanted to deny it, he knew his friends had a point. She very well could have.

Oliver returned to loft and found that Thea had gotten a Christmas tree and she was attempting to decorate it with Robbie.

"Hey," his sister greeted him with a smile. "Your friend Lyla dropped Robbie off, said something about a work thing. We were hoping to have the tree finished before you got back. Wanted it to be a surprise."

Oliver couldn't help but smile, even if it felt strained, and he crossed to where his little girl was sitting, sorting through decorations. "Definitely a surprise," he said, though not completely talking about the tree, leaning down to kiss the top of Robbie's head. "Little bird can you give me and your Aunt Thea a few minutes alone, please?"

Robbie nodded and slowly stood, giving him a curious look before she hurried off to her room. Thea frowned when he turned to her.

"Ollie? What's...What's going on?"

Oliver drew a deep breath. Trying to keep tight control over his emotions. "I know you saw Malcolm in Corto Maltese."

Thea appeared surprised, for all of a second, before she sighed and shook her head.

"Ollie, we've lost everyone. Malcolm's the only family I have left besides you and Robbie."

"Thea, I deserve to know what you were doing with Malcolm." He let out a low sound. "Hell, I deserved to know you were...you were having anything to do with him. Especially when I moved in here. When I moved my daughter in here."

Thea blinked and gave him this confused look. "Are you...Are you saying you think my father, your Alpha, would hurt your daughter?"

"Thea..."

"I've just been getting to know him, Ollie," she said, giving him a disbelieving look. "And I know that he would never hurt her. Or us. He loves us, Ollie. All three of us."

"How do you know that?"

"Because he told me." She crossed her arms over her chest. "All he really wants is to be part of our lives. To be a family."

Oliver sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. He wasn't going to get into that argument with her. He knew it wouldn't do any good. So instead he switched gears.

"A couple of months ago did you fly back to Starling with him?"

"No." Thea was quick to deny it and nothing in her face or body language hinted that she was lying to him. "Ollie, if I was back in Starling City don't you think I would have told you? I was in Corto Maltese since May." She picked up an ornament and held it out to him. "Now, will you please just...just call Robbie back out here and help us decorate? Please?"

He sighed and, though he wanted to press, to see if her answer changed, he knew it wouldn't help. Would strain things between them. So he nodded and called for Robbie. Thea smiled and thanked him, heading for the stairs to go find more Christmas stuff, pausing and half turning back to him.

"Oh," she said, giving a small smile. "You got another package today. I left it on the coffee table."

He nodded and crossed to the small table while Robbie, who'd emerged from her room, returned to sorting the decorations. He studied the package for a moment, plainly wrapped just like all the others, and he was sorely tempted to just toss it out, but his curiosity got the better of him and he opened it, finding another jewellery case though this one was bigger. Likely holding a watch or something. Snapping open the lid he went completely still at what lay nestled against the silk lining of the case.

A silver wrist cuff, decorated with the same intricate designs as the ring he'd received, with tiny emeralds dotted here and there along side tiny diamonds. It was, traditionally, a courting gift. Typically gifted from an Alpha to an Omega. It was a custom that had faded from popularity in the 1940s but some older, wealthier families still upheld it. And it certainly explained the ring he'd received earlier. A matching set. Another traditional courting gift.

He sank down to sit on the couch just as Thea returned with an armful of boxes. She saw what must have been shock on his face because she quickly set the boxes down and hurried over to him.

"Ollie? Ollie, what's..." She looked down at the box still held in his grasp and sucked in a shocked breath, causing Robbie to look up quickly, concerned by their suddenly odd behaviour. "Ollie is that...holy shit...is that a..."

"Yeah," Oliver breathed and Thea sat next to him, still staring at the cuff. Their mother had owned a courting cuff. Robert had ordered it handcrafted from some jeweller in Paris before they'd Bonded. She'd only worn it for special occasions. And Oliver had no idea what to make of the one he now possessed. He didn't even know who it was from, even though he suspected Malcolm, it seemed an odd gift choice even from the Alpha.

"Do you know who..." Thea started but Oliver shook his head.

"No idea. Just like...Just like all the rest of it."

"Holy shit," Thea muttered and Oliver couldn't help but share the sentiment.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

In Nanda Parbat Ra's al Ghul tested the strength and skill of those who had come seeking to become part of the League. All eight of them failed. As the last fell he heard the approaching steps of his daughter and Sarab.

"Father."

He turned at the sound of her voice, watching as she and Sarab approached.

"It is nearly time," she said calmly and Ra's saw in her eyes that she was ready for this to be at an end. No more grief and tears. She wanted it to end. She wanted to lay her grief and rage to rest.

"Mr Queen has not yet presented the guilty," he asked and Nyssa shook her head in response. "Perhaps he believes our threats are empty. We must correct that belief if that is the case." He looked at Sarab. "Return to Starling City. Be merciless. Teach Oliver Queen we only ask but once."


	16. Chapter 16

Returning to the foundry after helping his sister and daughter decorate, pushing the thoughts of the strange gifts he'd been receiving to the back of his mind, he confided in his friends that he didn't want to believe his sister capable of killing Sara. And, in the end, they convinced him to go back, to talk to Thea not as her brother but as the Arrow. Doing so resulted in a surprise he was not ready for.

Thea, it seemed, had been trained by Malcolm.

She acted afraid until he dropped his guard and then, throwing broken glass up to distract him, attacking and in his surprise, managed to drive him back before she grabbed Robbie, who had struggled at first, knowing of course who he was, and leapt over the balcony to the apartment below.

Still in a state of shock he went back to the foundry and, trying to figure out his next move, was surprised when Malcolm showed up in the club where he was.

"Thea called," the Alpha said as he calmly approached. "And said she and Robbie were attacked by the Arrow."

Oliver slowly turned, standing as Malcolm walked closer.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about that," the Alpha asked, tone not quite condescending but it was nearly there, as he stepped into Oliver's personal space. "Would you, Oliver?"

"This was you," he growled in reply, hands twitching with his rage. "You know I figured when I spared the man who murdered my mother I would never kill again."

In a rare display of speed rather than strength Oliver grabbed Malcolm by the neck and spun them, slamming the Alpha into the bar, growling the entire while like an enraged lion.

"I was wrong."

"You might want to...reconsider..." Malcolm gasped as Oliver's grip tightened.

"Why?!"

"For Thea!"

Oliver's nose wrinkled in confusion and his phone suddenly buzzed.

"Check your phone," Malcolm said and Oliver growled. "I can wait."

Drawing away from the Alpha he checked the phone and watched, horrified, as a video of Thea killing Sara played. He felt whatever tiny shred of hope he'd held onto that Malcolm might be capable of changing shatter like glass against a wall.

"I don't think you want the League to see that," the Alpha said and Oliver suddenly found himself wishing that he'd never believed Malcolm that night with Nyssa. He wished he had listened to the woman Sara had loved. He wished he'd killed the Alpha. No matter the agony it would have caused him he should have killed his Alpha. "And if you kill me they will."

"This...This can't be her..."

"You've heard of a plant called Vetura? It grows in South America. In fact it thrives in Corto Maltese." Malcolm stepped around him, calmly, carefully. "Makes the subject highly susceptible to suggestion but retaining no memory of their actions."

Oliver growled.

"I will tell Ra's this was you. That Thea was under your control."

"And he will still kill her." Malcolm gave him a cold look. "She fired the arrows."

"You've given her a death sentence." Oliver shook his head. "All your talk about wanting to protect her, about loving her, it was all a lie."

"No." Malcolm shook his head, suddenly looking both guilty but certain in his convictions. It was like the night of the Undertaking all over again. "What I've done is given you incentive."

"To do what?"

"To tell Ra's that you killed Sara Lance. By right you will be given a trial by combat. With Ra's. His death with erase any blood debt from his reign. Including Thea's."

Oliver growled, dark and deep, the sort of growl he hadn't made since his days on Lian Yu. His days under the thumb and sword of Billy Wintergreen.

"And yours," he hissed, finally seeing just what Malcolm had done. What he'd likely been planning all along. "You've sentenced us all to death."

Malcolm blinked. "I think you greatly underestimate yourself."

"No." Oliver shook his head. "You overestimate me." He took a small step forward. "My skill is with a bow. Ra's, from what I've heard of the man, uses a blade. When exactly did you think I'd suddenly developed any sort of skill with that particular weapon?"

"Oliver..."

"You kept saying you loved Thea, that you wanted to protect her, that you wanted to make things better between us, but it was a lie. A way to keep me from looking too closely at you. To keep me from figuring out what really happened the night Sara died."

"No." Malcolm shook his head, expression unreadable and it made Oliver rumble slightly. "No, I meant those things. I did. But I knew with the blood debt I'd never be safe. My children and mate would never be safe. I did this for us. All of us, Oliver."

Oliver's hands clenched tightly at his sides.

"No. You did this for you. Just like always." He stepped back and away from the Alpha. "And, just like always, it's up to a Queen to clean up the mess."

"Oliver, please, I..."

"Get. Out." He growled darkly again, wanting so badly to kill him but knowing doing so would be the equivalent of signing Thea's death warrant. "Just...get out. Now."

Malcolm started to protest, to reach for Oliver, but the Omega snarled and, reacting on pure instinct, drove his fist into the Alpha's face.

"I said get out!" Oliver snarled, shoving Malcolm towards the door. "And this time...this time don't bother to slither back out of whatever hole you crawl into!"

Oliver stood there, fuming, rage barely under control, and watched as Malcolm slunk away, the Alpha kept glancing back at him. Eyes pleading with him to understand but he refused to give in again. Refused to ever again believe Malcolm was anything but a manipulative killer. Once he was certain Malcolm was gone he retreated to the foundry. Needed to get his mind around everything that had just happened.

His friends all tried to convince him not to face Ra's, to just throw Malcolm to the wolves, but he couldn't do that because even if Malcolm died the League would still be after Thea. The only way to protect her, to protect his family and friends, to protect the city, was to do exactly what Malcolm wanted. With that in mind he returned to the warehouse where he had last seen Nyssa knowing she, or at least Maseo, would be there waiting for him to bring Sara's killer, to bring Malcolm, to them.

Nyssa was the one waiting for him.

"Where is he," he asked calmly and Nyssa looked somewhat amused.

"You think my father, the Demon's Head, would travel all the way from Nanda Parbat simply because you wish it?"

"Yes."

Nyssa looked almost impressed by his surety. "This way."

He followed her to a room where Maseo and several other League members were. Including one who, dressed in black robes, stood with his back to Oliver. It didn't take a genius to determine that the man was Ra's al Ghul.

"Kneel before the Demon's Head," Maseo said and, when Oliver made it very clear he had no intention of doing so, the man moved, reaching for his sword only to still when Ra's lifted a hand.

Oliver drew a slow breath as he watched the man turn to finally face him.

Ra's seemed surprised, though whether that was an act or not was unclear, and the leader of the League studied him for a heartbeat.

"You're just a boy."

Even the way Ra's spoke suggested he was surprised by Oliver but that evaporated quickly as the man walked closer.

"Mr Queen, you failed to protect the city you love. Now you'll watch it bleed."

"Nobody in my city will die tonight," Oliver replied calmly, coldly.

"Well, there was only one way to prevent that," Ra's said, slowly circling Oliver, and Oliver could feel the man's eyes on him, taking measure of him even as Oliver subtly scented the man. Alpha. It was not surprising. "You were to produce for me the one who killed Ta-er al-Sahfer and yet you've come alone."

Oliver drew a deep breath and said the words he knew would condemn him but save his sister. Save his city.

"Because it was me."

He didn't miss the disbelief in Nyssa's face, the expression of doubt, and he knew it would be she he had to convince of his lie. If he even could.

"I killed Sara."

"Why would you kill a woman you once professed to love," Nyssa demanded and he tried not to let his expression, his eyes, betray him.

"Because she begged me to."

Nyssa all but growled at him. "You lie."

Maseo drew one of his blades and levelled it with Oliver's head but stilled when Ra's shook his head.

Oliver didn't even flinch.

"It wasn't the first time Sara chose death over a life in the League," Oliver said as Ra's circled back around to stand in front of him. "And meeting you now I can see why."

Ra's glanced at Maseo, giving a slight nod that had the man standing down.

"I should have Sarab cleave your head from your shoulders," Ra's said as he looked at Oliver and, for a moment, an odd tingle rolled down the younger man's spine. "Not for killing my daughter's beloved but for thinking me a fool."

"By League law," Oliver started and he saw the look Nyssa shot him, the woman no doubt thinking he was about to do something insane and she was right. "I have the right to challenge you to a trial by combat."

Ra's regarded him for a moment before slowly stepping closer. He didn't know what the Alpha was looking for as the older man studied his face but he wasn't prepared for him to suddenly glance around as his followers.

"Leave us," he demanded and, one by one, the members of the League left the room. Nyssa was the only one who dared look back as she too left. Ra's waited until they were alone before he spoke again.

"Al Sa-her believes you can defeat me in battle," the Alpha said as he continued to study Oliver's face. "But we both know better, don't we, Mr Queen?"

Oliver said nothing and Ra's smirked slightly.

"Al Sa-her is sending you, his mate, to your death by convincing you to challenge me. I would not see a good man die for crimes not his own. Which is why I propose an ulterior solution."

"What solution?"

Ra's turned his head, calling to a member of the League. "Sayad."

As the man approached Oliver caught a familiar scent and frowned as he looked at the man in question.

"You?"

At a subtle gesture from Ra's the archer pulled his hood and mask off, revealing a pale, lean face and dark eyes. The man, Sayad, bowed respectfully to Ra's and the inclined his head to Oliver.

"For over a month I have had Sayad shadowing your every move, keeping watchful eye on you, assisting when he deemed it absolutely necessary."

"Why?"

The smirk Ra's wore slowly became more of a smile.

"Were my courting gifts not well received, Oliver?"

Oliver blinked and was about to ask what the Alpha was talking about when it all suddenly clicked into place. Sayad taking out criminals. Protecting him. The gifts he'd been receiving lately. He let out a low sound and looked from Sayad to Ra's.

"I don't understand," he admitted and Ra's nodded slightly.

"When Ta-er al-Sahfer first told me of you I was intrigued by the idea of a man standing alone against injustice and corruption. It was, after all, how the League itself was first founded. After I permitted Nyssa and members of the League to aid you against Slade Wilson I kept close watch over you and how you operated. I was, I must admit, impressed. Even with your vow not to kill you made a true difference in your city and with its people. When Nyssa began to speak of you, of your daughter, with the same affection as her beloved had I knew the path was clear."

Ra's took a step forward.

"I am offering you, Oliver Queen, a place at my side. As my Omega."


	17. Chapter 17

Oliver inhaled sharply and stared at Ra's for a long, somewhat tense moment, before he rubbed a hand over his face.

"You...You want to..." He shook his head. "How does _that_ solve anything?"

Ra's gave Sayad a nod and the man bowed again before leaving them alone. Ra's looked at Oliver and gave the faintest hint of a smile as he stepped closer.

"As a final courting gift I would be more than willing to erase the blood debt currently extending to your sister as Al Sa-her's daughter."

Oliver blinked.

Ra's was offering, in exchange for a Bond with him, a way to save Thea that wouldn't result in bloodshed. But there was something Ra's hadn't said.

"What about Merlyn?"

"Al Sa-her betrayed a code he swore to uphold even when he was no longer part of the League," Ra's shook his head as he spoke. "It is not something to be easily overlooked."

"I swore that so long as he was in my city he was under my protection."

Ra's nodded. "Nyssa told me this but think, Oliver, is his life worth more than your sister? More than the innocent people who _will_ die if you continue to stand between Al Sa-her and justice?"

Oliver ground his teeth. He wanted to say no, so badly did he want to say no, but he had sworn a vow. Just like the vow he had sworn on Tommy's memory that he would never take another life. He couldn't go back on it. He couldn't deem one life, no matter what Malcolm had done, to be worth less or more than another. He couldn't play God with a man's life anymore. Especially when that man, despite all his faults and crimes, was still his Alpha.

"I can't just hand him over to be murdered," the Omega said softly. "That's not justice. It's vengeance."

"Sometimes, sweet boy, vengeance is justice."

Oliver shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I can't."

Ra's regarded him for a moment before humming softly. "Among many of the things Nyssa told me of you she mentioned your reluctance to kill Al Sa-her even though you expressed a deep understanding of just what sort of man he is. Tell me, is it love that holds you to him or fear of what shall happen when the Bond between you breaks?"

Oliver rumbled faintly, fighting down the urge to growl. He wanted to lie, to flat out refuse to answer, but as he opened his mouth he found the truth spilling out.

"I'm terrified of what will happen when the Bond breaks and...and maybe part of me still loves him despite everything but...but even if none of that were true I would still refuse to hand him over just to be killed."

"You cling very tightly to your ideals," Ra's said, stepping closer once again, slowly putting himself within Oliver's personal space. "It is admirable." He smiled slightly. "I would be honoured indeed if you agreed to Bond with me. It is rare to find anyone with such strength in them."

Oliver blinked. "You still..."

"Did you think my feelings would have changed simply because you still stand between me and Al Sa-her?" Ra's shook his head before reaching up and cupping Oliver's cheek, causing a slight tremor to roll down the Omega's spine. "If you had backed down so easily I might have reconsidered my opinion on you but that you refuse to yield, that you choose to hold to your convictions only strengthen my belief that together we could do great things."

Oliver huffed and leaned, slightly, away from Ra's' touch.

"You want me to become a killer. An assassin."

The Alpha shook his head. "You misunderstand, sweet boy," he said softly, kindly. "I do not seek to change you. I seek to stand at your side and strengthen you if you will permit me. And have you do the same for me." His smile widened slightly. "When I first considered this offer I realized that you were the first Omega in many years that I felt worthy of. The first Omega I thought might help to make me, to make the League, better and stronger."

Oliver blinked in surprise.

It wasn't often he heard an Alpha claim that they wanted to be worthy of an Omega. The large majority of Alphas were more worried about an Omega being worthy of them than the other way around. It had always infuriated a part of Oliver that Alphas thought, believed, an Omega had to be something special in order to even give them the time of day.

Oliver let out a soft sound and, instinctively, reflexively, leaned into Ra's' touch.

There was a part of him that truly wanted to accept what Ra's was offering him.

But he knew he couldn't.

Accepting the offer, Bonding with Ra's, might save Thea but he would be condemning Malcolm to certain death. And, no matter how he felt about the Alpha, he just couldn't do it.

He closed his eyes for a moment and drew a deep breath before slowly stepping back, away from Ra's, away from the Alpha's touch as he opened his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he aid as he slowly shook his head. "But I...I can't."

Ra's sighed softly as his hand dropped back to his side.

"While I understand your position, I will say I wish that I could change your mind."

The Alpha shifted his stance and again Oliver saw nothing but the leader of the League, the Head of the Demon. He wondered how a man carried such a weight on his shoulders and suddenly remembered something Maseo had taught him all those years ago. _A man cannot live by two names_. Maseo had claimed that, in Oliver's case, it meant not having a choice. He thought that perhaps it was the same for Ra's.

"If this is truly the choice you wish to make," Ra's said calmly, sounding more like a leader than the Alpha who had just offered Oliver a bloodless way to save his sister and city and Oliver nodded, causing the Alpha to sigh softly. "Then all that is left is the question of your challenge. Do you still wish to do so?"

Oliver nodded. "Do you accept?"

Ra's gave a slight nod. "Yes."

Oliver inhaled deeply knowing that, very likely, he had just signed his own death warrant.


	18. Chapter 18

Oliver stood in the warehouse after Ra's and his men had left, only Maseo lingered, the man he'd once known watched him with a nearly unreadable expression.

"I see the years have done little to dull your stubbornness," Maseo said calmly but for a moment there was a flash of anger in his eyes.

"Maseo..."

The Beta growled faintly. "My name is Sarab," he growled the words even as Oliver took a step towards him.

Oliver shook his head. "You told me once that a man cannot live by two names."

"And I don't." Maseo's gaze was hard as stone. "Maseo is dead. I am all that's left. Sarab. The phantom."

Oliver let out a soft sound, stepping closer to the Beta, to the man who still held a special place in his heart.

"After..." Oliver found he couldn't bring himself to speak of Akio, of the boy's death, not even after all the years that lay between then and now. "It happened...you went to Nanda Parbat."

It was more a declaration of what was obvious. Oliver remembered how Maseo had left him and Tatsu after Akio's death. After they'd abducted and tortured Shrieve, after Maseo had killed the man responsible for releasing the bio-weapon that had killed Akio. He remembered asking Tatsu where Maseo had been going and, though she hadn't named the place, she had merely said it was a place they could not follow.

Maseo gave the slightest nod.

"I arrived the same year as Ta-er al-Sahfer," the Beta explained, looking at Oliver again. "She was a great warrior. A good friend. And I know you did not kill her."

"You're wrong."

"No." Maseo shook his head, stepping up to Oliver, catching hold of his arm, just above his elbow, thumb pressing against the Bonding mark there. Tatsu's mark. "I know you. I knew the sort of man you were even when you tortured Shrieve for what he did to...to Akio. You did not kill Ta-er al-Sahfer."

A small tremor rolled up Oliver's spine as he reflexively leaned towards Maseo, the man's scent familiar and comforting and it made part of him crave both Maseo and Tatsu.

"Maseo..."

"When you face the Demon," Maseo said, grip tightening a fraction, and in those dark eyes Oliver saw a hint of regret and fear. "It will be my duty to bear witness." The Beta stepped closer. Standing nearly flush with Oliver. Like he used to during their months together in Hong Kong. "I have no desire to watch you die."

Oliver let out a soft sound of surprise when Maseo suddenly leaned into him, nuzzling gently at his neck, like he had many nights in Hong Kong. Nights when he and Tatsu had lain wrapped around the Omega, warm and comforting and loving.

Oliver closed his eyes and leaned into Maseo, breathing deeply, drawing as much of Maseo's rich scent into his lungs as he could.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save him," he whispered and Maseo pressed a quick, chaste, kiss to the corner of his jaw.

"You are not to blame for the loss of our son." The Beta's words made Oliver's heart leap into his throat. It was not the first time Maseo had claimed Akio to be his, Tatsu's and Oliver's, but it was the first time since Akio's death that he had heard it. "You fought to avenge him."

"I...I didn't..."

"I may have pulled the trigger, Oliver, but you made Shrieve suffer for what he had done to Akio."

Maseo reached up, running his fingers through the short strands of Oliver's hair, whispering something softly in Japanese. Something that sounded very much like some sort of prayer.

And then the Beta was stepping away, putting respectable space between them, pulling a piece of paper from his pocket. 

"Under our code you have twelve hours to settle your affairs. At the thirteenth hour be at this place." Gone was the man Oliver remembered and in his place was the cold member of the League. Sarab. The Beta handed him the piece of paper, which had latitude and longitude written on it. "This location is consecrated ground for the League. A place for the settlement of blood debts. If one survives the climb. Few do."

Oliver wanted to say something, to embrace Maseo again, but he knew from the look on the man's face that it would not be welcome. That Maseo was doing his best now to emotionally distance himself. To make watching Oliver fall to Ra's easier to bear. So instead he drew a deep breath, tucking the piece of paper into his pocket.

"I'll see you on the mountain," he said before turning and forcing himself to walk away.

Stepping out onto the street outside the warehouse Oliver drew a deep breath and had just started to where he had left his motorcycle when footsteps caused him to pause and turn back.

"Nyssa."

The female Omega, still dressed in her League gear, stepped up to him.

"My father offered to make you the most powerful Omega the world would have ever seen," she said, tone making it clear she did not understand his refusal. "And yet you choose certain death. Does Malcolm Merlyn truly mean so much to you?"

"It's not about my feelings for Merlyn," he said with a shrug. "It's about not...not betraying who I am. Who I've worked so hard to become."

Nyssa studied him for a moment.

"I know you did not kill Sara," she said softly, gaze softening slightly. "And she would be ashamed that you would claim otherwise."

Oliver couldn't help but grin. "She'd have kicked my ass."

Nyssa grinned in return. "Yes, she would have."

The female Omega let out a soft sound before shaking her head.

"You do not need to do this, Oliver. Not for Malcolm Merlyn." She reached out and cupped his cheek. "Think of your daughter. Robbie will be left with no one but that monster when you fall to my father."

That, he knew, was not something he would let happen. Even if he died, which was more than likely, he would not risk his daughter becoming just another pawn for Malcolm's twisted aims. He drew a deep breath and met Nyssa's gaze head on.

"Which is why I have a favour to ask of you."


	19. Chapter 19

After leaving the warehouse Oliver returned to the loft, accepting Thea's lie about how the window had been broken simply because he didn't want to fight with her. Not when it would be the last time he saw her. Though he tried to hide his emotions, mixed and frayed as they were, Thea was very perceptive and picked up on the fact that something was wrong right away. When she asked he found he didn't want to leave her thinking that Malcolm was someone she could trust.

When he tried to tell her that she shook her head, telling him not to make her choose between her father and her brother, and he responded by hugging her, telling her he would never do that. That he would do anything for her. That all he wanted was for her to be safe and happy. He knew his words, his actions, were worrying her but there was nothing he could do about that. He just held her tighter and told her how much he loved her before leaving her to continue her decorating while he went into Robbie's room, finding his precious girl tucked up in bed.

Smiling, he stretched out next to her, curling around her like he had during their years on Lian Yu.

His movements, though careful and slow, caused her to stir and blink blearily up at him.

"Daddy?" She rubbed sleepily at her face. "What's..." She yawned. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." He tried to smile for her but it was shaky and made Robbie frown. "I just...I just wanted to see you, little bird."

Robbie's nose wrinkled and she rubbed at her eyes again.

"You're doing that thing."

Oliver blinked. "What thing?"

"That crinkly eyebrow thing you do when you don't want to tell me something." She reached up to rub her fingers between his eyebrows to emphasise her point. "What's wrong?"

Oliver couldn't help but chuckle as he hugged her closer. "Never could hide anything from you, could I?" He kissed the top of her head. "I...I have to do something and it's dangerous. Really dangerous. And I...I might not come back."

Robbie tipped her head back, looking up at him, frowning the entire while.

"You...Are you saying you might die?"

Oliver hated the fear he heard in her voice, hated seeing it in her gaze, but all he could do was hold her close and try to comfort her as best he could.

"I might," he admitted, knowing, if that did happen, she deserved the truth from him. He'd always been as honest as he could be with her. And that wouldn't change now. "I have to face a man, fight him, and...and I don't know if I can beat him, little bird."

"Then...Then why are you doing it?"

Oliver drew a deep breath. "To protect you and your Aunt Thea. And the innocent people of the city."

Robbie's nose wrinkled again. "Is this about Sara?"

"Yeah, yeah it is." He rubbed his hand over Robbie's back. "And I...I need you to be strong, little bird, if...if I don't come back. Okay? Can you be strong for me?"

Robbie nodded and tears started to drip from her lashes as she clung to him. "You'll come back," she whispered, sounding so certain and he wished he could share that certainty. "I know you'll come back. You always come back."

"I'll try, little bird," he whispered, blinking back his own tears. "I'll try."

Oliver kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly, loath to leave her but his time was limited and he had to see the others before he left for the mountain. He tucked her up, sang her lullaby, for what might be the last time, before leaving and heading for the foundry where he met Diggle and Roy, Felicity having been caught up with something at work. As he gathered the few things he would need for the climb Diggle let out a soft sound.

"Oliver..."

Oliver shook his head. "John," he said calmly even though inside everything was twisting up with dread. "I have to do this."

"I know," Diggle admitted, giving Oliver a look that said he wished he didn't have to. "But I'd just rather die than let you go it alone."

"Not this time," Oliver said with a slight shake of his head before turning to Roy. "Take care of Thea."

The younger Omega nodded, looking like he was fighting back tears. "Absolutely," he said shakily and Oliver stepped forward, embracing the man who had become the closest thing to a little brother he would ever have. He was so proud of Roy. Of the man the younger Omega had become. They had just started to part when Felicity came rushing in, babbling in her nervous way about work only to stop when she realized the air in the foundry was heavy and that both Roy and Diggle looked like someone had stabbed them in the heart. She made a soft sound and Diggle and Roy excused themselves so that Oliver could say what might be his last goodbye to Felicity.

She knew him better than to try and convince him to stay and he was grateful. He was surprised when she asked him, no told him, to kill Ra's. She expressed her fear that he would beat Ra's but not kill him and that the only way this could all end was with Ra's or him dying. Despite her fear and doubt she hugged him tightly before letting him leave, tears dotting her lashes and soft whimpers bubbling up from her chest.

Oliver didn't look back. He couldn't. If he did he would break and he needed to be strong now. For Robbie. For Thea. For the city that was depending on him.

The journey to the mountain was easy enough but the climb took a lot out of him. But once he stood on the cold, snow covered peak he drew a deep breath and call on all his strength and will. He would need it. Walking forward to a circle of stones he saw Maseo and Nyssa waiting while Ra's stood a few feet further from them.

"Remove your shirts," Maseo said as he stepped forward. "This is custom."

The Beta crossed to Oliver, speaking quietly, as Oliver tugged on his shirts.

"Ra's al Ghul is not known to be merciful," he said as Oliver tossed her shirts and jackets aside. "But if there was a chance this would be your final moment for it."

Oliver looked at Maseo and saw the fear in the Beta's eyes, saw the genuine desire to not have to watch him die. When Maseo realized he had no intention of backing down he sighed and gestured to the rack of weapons placed nearby.

"Choose your weapon."

Swords. 

Not Oliver's strength but he selected two none the less.

Ra's, having heard the swords leave their holders, back to Oliver, finally spoke.

"I was eleven-years-old when I killed my first man. I remember the look on his face when the light went out behind his eyes. Such a subtle change, almost imperceptible, between life and death. And I felt ashamed."

Nyssa stepped up to pull her father's robe from his shoulders, accepting his rings when he hand them to her.

"I'd stolen from that man the most precious gift of all. Life." Ra's didn't sound ashamed. But he didn't sound proud either. "But I also felt something else. Pride. Because I had taken up arms against someone who sought to do ill against my family. I realized what I had done was necessary. I had replaced evil with death." The Alpha tugged his shirt off, handing it to Nyssa, before turning to face Oliver. "And that is what the League exists to do." He walked towards Oliver. "And I have killed several more thousand men since then and the world is better off for it."

Oliver huffed faintly. "You've taken your last life."

Ra's smiled sadly and shook his head. "No. You have lived your last day."

Oliver felt his muscles bunch and tense as Nyssa stepped away from her father, towards where Maseo was standing.

"I am envious of you," she said as she glanced at him as she passed. "You will see her before I do."

Oliver tried not to let that bother him. But he knew Nyssa was likely right. He was going to die. The only comfort he took in that knowledge was that Robbie would be safe either way. Once Nyssa was clear of the space where the fight would take place Ra's bowed his head slightly.

"Fight me, boy," he said and Oliver frowned.

"You're unarmed."

"I'll take your blades from you once you are through with them."

Oliver hesitated for a moment, mind at war, and Ra's, seeing the opening, struck him in the face. It was both an attack and a taunt. One that worked.

Oliver attacked, lashing out more than anything, and Ra's easily evaded.

The fight was fierce but quick.

Ra's took one sword from Oliver with a quick, calculated strike and proceeded to prove what Oliver had known from the beginning. That he had come into the fight with all the wrong skills. He fought strongly, trying to use the skills he did possess to his advantage, but it just didn't seem to be enough. At one point Ra's managed to have the edge of the blade to Oliver's neck but he didn't strike. Instead he gave Oliver a gentle, almost proud, look.

"You should take pride," the Alpha said, using his position, his sword, to turn Oliver slowly until the Omega's back was to the cliff's edge, slowly forcing Oliver to step back. "You've survived longer than most."

Oliver, seeing an opening, tried to use it to his advantage but it wasn't enough. Ra's caught the blade, not caring that it slice open his hand and, using Oliver's surprise, struck the Omega in the throat, winding him before snatching the sword from Oliver's grasp and driving it through his side. Pain flared white hot as Ra's withdrew the blade, striking Oliver in the face to drop him to his knees.

"Don't be afraid, sweet boy," the Alpha rumbled, stepping up to him, reaching out to cup Oliver's cheek, tipping his head back so their gazes could meet. "Death comes for us all. We can only evade it so long." He rubbed his thumb over Oliver's cheek tenderly, regretfully, before drawing his hand back. "Consider this an honourable exit."

Moving quickly he drove the sword through Oliver's chest. Not wanting the Omega to suffer in death. As he drew the sword back blood spill from both the wound and Oliver's lips. Staring down at Oliver, wishing things had been different between them, the Alpha rumbled again and spoke, in Arabic, a prayer for Oliver's safe passage into the next world.

_"Forgive and have mercy upon him. Excuse him and pardon him. Make honourable his reception. Protect him from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the Fire."_

Oliver barely heard the prayer, his thoughts nothing but a twist of memories. His family. His friends. His Alphas, those dead and those living. His daughter. But as the world began to fade to black around him he felt himself fall and his last sight was of the sky, cold and grey, above him.

At a monastery in Japan Tatsu Yamashiro woke from her sleep with a scream so heartbreaking and full of pain that the monks feared she had taken leave of her wits.

In a cell on Lian Yu Slade Wilson slammed his fist into the concrete wall, roaring his pain and fury, terrifying the guards who had no idea what was happening.

And in Starling City Malcolm Merlyn collapsed to his knees, his scream was of agony and grief and guilt, and Thea felt a sharp jolt of fear as she watched, helpless, not understanding what was going on.


	20. Chapter 20

Nyssa watched Oliver fall and silently prayed that Sara was there to greet him on the other side. That her beloved would be waiting for him. To guide him to the peace and paradise that he deserved after his hard fought battle to save his city.

Her father's prayer whispered through her mind as she returned to Starling City.

She had a promise to keep.

And as much as she hated to do it, as she would rather take Robbie with her, she had sworn, on Sara's soul, that she would do as Oliver had wanted.

She found Robbie at the apartment Oliver and his sister had shared. The girl was curled up in Oliver's bed, one of his jackets wrapped tightly around her, tears dotting her lashes. Nyssa hated it. Hated knowing that Oliver had died a liar. Her father had not believed the lie of course but had accepted it because Oliver had clearly been trying to protect someone and he could respect that. He father had even told her, when he learned of her promise to the fallen Omega, that they could take Robbie in. That they could raise her. But Nyssa had refused to break her promise to Oliver.

"Hello, little bird," she said softly as Robbie looked up at her, sniffling and rubbing at her face, trying to hide the tears. She sat on the bed and felt sadness well up within her. For all of Oliver's faults, his reluctance to kill, he had been a good man. A good father.

Robbie regarded her for a moment, eyes still full of tears, but she was putting on a brave face.

"My Daddy's dead, isn't he?"

Nyssa felt her heart stutter. Blunt. Direct. Robbie's life, it seemed, was doomed to make her cold at a young age. She drew a deep breath and nodded. "Yes." She saw point in lying to the girl. "Yes, he is dead."

"How?"

Nyssa did not want to answer that question. But she knew Robbie would demand answers. Better to hear it from her than someone else.

"He faced my father in a trial by combat." She paused. "Do you know what that means, little bird?"

Robbie nodded. "Means they fought to settle something, right? It's a fight to the...death."

Nyssa nodded. "You're daddy died so that innocent people in this city would be spared a horrible fate. He died so you would be safe."

The look Robbie gave her said it all.

Robbie didn't care.

Her father was gone and he wasn't coming back.

Tears spilled down Robbie's face as the girl sat up, huddling into Oliver's jacket, looking at Nyssa with eyes full of fear. "What happens now?"

Nyssa reached out, tucking Robbie's hair behind her ear, smiling slightly. "Now, now I honour my vow to your daddy." Her smile widened a bit. "Now I take you to your father."

She gave Robbie time to gather the things she wished to take, packing a rather large duffle bag, even stopping at the foundry to collect a few things, including Oliver's hood, before they went to the airport and boarded a small plane that would take them to the last place Nyssa would have expected. Lian Yu. She left Robbie waiting on the beach as she took out the guards before climbing down to where the cells were.

Slade Wilson glared at her from behind the bars of his cell.

"You." He growled the word, glare intensifying. "The hell are you doing her?"

"I've come to release you from purgatory. Under certain conditions, of course."

Slade growled faintly.

"What makes you think I'm going to do anything but kill you when you open that door?"

Nyssa tilted her chin upwards. "The fact that Roberta Queen is waiting on the beach."

"You think that's going to make a difference?"

"Yes."

Slade barked out a harsh laugh. "Why?"

"Because, even in your madness, you avoided hurting Roberta Queen when you could."

Slade sneered. "You think I care about that kid?"

"I know you love her." Nyssa was absolutely certain of it. "I know you protected her even from yourself when you targeted Oliver and those he loved. I know you would safeguard her with all the ferocity of her true Alpha father."

Slade's sneer turned into a frown as he approached the bars, leaning against them, watching her closely. "Why bring her to me, huh? She's not mine. Why not take her to Merlyn?"

Nyssa let out a low, somewhat angry, sound.

"Because that is not what Oliver wanted." She stepped towards the controls for the cell door. "He wanted his daughter raised by the one man who would truly keep her safe. The man who truly loved her and would not make her a puppet in his twisted games."

Slade rumbled faintly. "He really wanted that?"

"He may have hated you for killing his mother, Wilson, but you were the one he was willing to trust with his daughter." She regarded him for a moment. "If you do not wish the responsibility of raising and caring for her than I will take her and leave."

Slade snarled unexpectedly, slamming a hand against the bars.

"Take her to Nanda Parbat? Raise her to be nothing but another killer for Ra's al Ghul? I'll fucking die before I let my sweet little bird become like you or Sara."

Nyssa smiled despite the slight to her beloved. "As I thought." She pressed the controls and the cell door swung open.

Slade surged through the doorway and, before Nyssa could say another word, was climbing up the ladder, completely ignoring her. She followed after him and, by the time she reached the topside, he had Robbie scooped up his arms, the two League members she'd left the guard the little girl laid out on the ground. Cured of the Mirakuru or not Slade Wilson was still a formidable and dangerous man.

She slowly approached, seeing how Robbie clung to Slade, heard how Slade kept rumbling softly, comfortingly and she knew then that Oliver had indeed made the right decision.

"We will fly to Hong Kong," she explained as she reached them, her men slowly rising from where they'd been thrown. "From there you may have the pilot fly you wherever you wish."

Slade eyed her warily. "Not going to tell me where to go?"

Nyssa shook her head. "To protect Robbie, to ensure she is not found by Merlyn or anyone else, Oliver gave strict instructions that, once I had freed you and gotten you to the mainland, you were to be free to go wherever you wished. The only stipulation was that you could not tell me or my men where you were going."

Slade nodded and, still carrying Robbie made his way to the plane. 

The last Nyssa saw of either of them was in Hong Kong. When Slade disappeared into the crowd of the airport. He had refused to use the League plane. He still had contacts he could use. People who owed him favours. He claimed he and Robbie would be alright without her or the League's protection.


End file.
